| The Joy of Service |
Chapter 8 |
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A friend tells of a young girl who recently became a Christian, and at once felt that she must serve somebody. But she did not know where or how to begin. She looked about among her companions – she was then attending a large girls’ school – to see if there were any to whom she could be of use. There was one girl who was greatly burdened with her work. This eager young Christian thought she might do for this girl services which would relieve her. So she began to help her in caring for her room. But she soon learned that her assistance was not welcome; indeed, it was resented. She found that she had hurt her friend’s feelings, and that she could not continue the help she had begun to give.
Her mistake was that she was doing service merely for the sake of service. She wanted to be helpful, and looking round saw that here were things she might do. But the serving had not come naturally.
The incident suggests that help may never be rendered merely for the sake of doing something. We may not go out some morning, saying that we want to do two or three kindnesses before the sun sets, and choose certain persons to whom we will do these kindnesses, without reference to their necessity or our own duty to them. We give a man some money, for example; but if he is in no real need we have done him no kindness. A young man, in his eagerness to be useful, may help his younger brother with his examples, working them for him. But that is mistaken kindness; the boy would better be left to work the examples himself, with no more than a helpful hint.
Or take, again, the case of the young girl in school. She was eager to express her love in some service, and she supposed she had found an opportunity. But her friend did not need this help. She was not sick; if she had been, the serving would have been beautiful and natural, and no doubt would have been gratefully accepted. As it was, however, the ministering, tough well meant, was little short of impertinence. It was unwelcome and weakened rather than strengthened the bond of friendship between the two girls.
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