Acts of Service- Being The Hands of God

Acts of Service-Being The Hands of God

We should hope that the day will come when all people perceive that the life of a [man] is great only in its service to [his brothers] for [he] is united with them by God.

William Ellery Channing Cited in Calendar of Wisdom

Yes, we should hope… as it is a timeless aspiration!

Rev. Channing, whose optimism helped to usher in the presence of liberal religion in our country, was writing before the Civil War. I am writing after Afghanistan and during the Ukraine invasion, still clinging to this high hope that service, in the cause of benevolence, respect, dignity, and civility etc., are the values and virtues that are continually being asked of us. 

However, it is far easier to project responsibility on to the “way the world is” rather than change the paradigm in ways that promote a more compassionate and Gospel centered life. Our religious teachings have not yet matured or deepened to truly be able to overcome the tragic and distorted way that proclaims that violence and inhumanity can be somehow justified by God! 

I have to ask: When will we finally realize that most war is futile, especially when it is waged to justify the original sins of slavery, racism, and immoral capitalism? From my view, no one seems to have benefitted from recent wars except defense contractors, lobbyists, and mercenaries!

Back to the point, that being of service brings us closer to God, and more aligned with the values that promote cooperation and peace. I will not let any lingering and persistent feeling of despair win!  I believe, in my heart of hearts, that there are, in the great scales of compassion and altruism, more good in our world than is demonstrated every day. That it is made manifest in being courteous, civil, and can be found in the simplest gestures and acts of kindness. 

The churches, as a whole, need to awaken from believing in their limited efforts and effects, and release themselves from their cultural captivity. As I see it, communities of faith need to insist that we are here, and in being present, that we are attentive to God, and to our neighbor’s crucial needs. That, for me, is the foundational reason church communities need to continue to exist:

To act as sources of mutual support and to generously offer any and all shared blessings to/for one another.