SERVICE
«And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your Cod, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good?» (Deuteronomy 10: 1 2, 1 3)
The word «service» comes from the Latin servitium and, as a concept, it has multiple meanings. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, it can refer to the duties of a servant; work that is done for others as an occupation or business; a religious rite; or a favor done for others. In psychology, the topic of service has been the subject of study for the past few years. One of the most frequent use of the word refers to an act or a variety of work done to the benefit of others, for a cause, or to meet the needs of others. Service has being studied in relation to voluntary services, altruism, caring for the sick, charitable donations, and assisting others. Various studies have examined these types of services in relation to physical and mental health, longevity, happiness, and well-being.
Debbie Haski, an Australian teacher, carried out an extensive investigation to explore the relation between volunteering, health, and well-being in more than 30,000 Europeans who were older than fifty. She discovered that those who participated in volunteer programs enjoyed better physical health, were more optimistic, found more satisfaction in life and had longer life expectancy than those who did not. By the same token, they displayed lower depression levels. Similar results lead us to think that service can be used as a powerful psychotherapeutic tool to relieve physical symptoms and prevent physical and mental illnesses.
Service also has different meanings in the Bible, It can indicate the submission of a human being to God by obeying His commandments, or it can indicate the submission of one person to another, like a slave. Today’s Bible verse points out that service to God is one of the fundamental requirements for our good and for the good of others. God asks us to serve Him with all our soul and heart, because it’s the only way we can be happy and fully grow and develop.
Let us decide today to serve God with love, as a sign of our appreciation for what He has done for us. Let us show the same love to our fellow men and leave the results in God’s hands.
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Taken from: Daily Devotions for Adults 2020
“A Cheerful Heart Is Good Medicine”
From: Julian Melgoza-Laura Fidanza
Colaboradores:Ricardo Vela & Alejandra Zavala
