Love in Action is Service

“Prayer in action is love. Love in action is service.”
-Mother Teresa
 
Service is about being a channel for the energy of love into our world. Compassion, beauty, patience, support, generosity, faith, trust, all these and more are expressions of love.

Creating a home that welcomes and evokes love is service.

A mother, enthusiastically admiring a six year old's umpteenth building blocks rendition of something with wings, is service.

A friend’s wondrous gardens, filled with love, are service.

My sister-in-law's paintings, each created with love, are service.

My husband’s giving of support to others for no reason other than that he is able, is service.

My soul sister clearing out all the old fears so that her authentic self may stride forward is service.

Giving someone your full attention when you speak to them, rather than listening with, ‘half an ear,’ is service.

A ministry filled with love for God and congregation is service.

A smile and a “thank you” of real appreciation for the clerk at the store is service.

Any thought, word or action carried on the energy of love is service.

Service is the act of living each day with love. In so doing, love is channeled through you into our world.

It can be a single thought or a mighty deed. It is all service.

Photo by Alex Block on Unsplash

"We will never know how much good just a simple smile can do."
-Mother Teresa

Your Spiritual Toolbox

As much as possible today, be of service by doing whatever you do with love.

Understand that it is your attitude which makes the difference.

Approach what you do asking yourself, “How may I serve our world in what I do today?"

Here are some ideas:

Slow down.

Fully focus your attention on what you are doing in each moment.  Stay present.

Feel appreciation for any aspects of what you are doing that you can. Focus your thoughts upon those positive aspects to the exclusion of anything that you find less attractive.

Pay attention to those people with whom you interact. Really listen to them. Focus on those aspects about them that you appreciate. Express gratitude out loud when you can, or when you can't, express gratitude  in your thoughts.

Even with those people about whom you feel more negative than positive, it is possible to be of service by mentally offering that person a blessing.

​This works wonders for maintaining your own equilibrium with that snippy waitress, or the cranky person behind you in line. For example, thinking, “May you be blessed with peace,” or "wisdom" or "compassion," whatever feels appropriate at the moment. It’s OK to give yourself a blessing too!

Slow down. Breathe. Be fully present. Feel appreciation. Express gratitude. Be a blessing to others and to yourself. These are the tools of love in action.