Faith, Hope and Love…the Greatest of these is Love (I Corinthians 13)
“I have found the paradox, that if you love
until it hurts, there can be no more hurt.”
Mother Teresa
No doubt you have heard of Mother Teresa the diminutive and frail Nun who served the poor, defeated, diseased and downtrodden thousands of Calcutta, India. Surrendering to a life of service and poverty at the age of eighteen she spent years in the midst of the worse poverty and disease imaginable. Although you may not agree with her theology and dogmas, I wonder if you like me do not desire to share her heart of love and compassion.
Years ago a magazine desired to do a story on her work and proceeded to send one of their top journalists and a famed camera crew to the slums of Calcutta. Mother Teresa was not one to sit back and do interviews but allowed the “intrusion” only if they followed her in her work. Agreeing to the challenge and eager young cameraman followed her into the Leper community. Leprosy, although defeated in much of the world is an epidemic in India.
Mother Teresa began to medically dress a man’s leper wounds while the camera man moved in for the shoot…by his account the stench was so bad he could not continue to film the scene. Afterwards he said to her, “I would not do what you do for all the money in the world!” To which she replied “Neither would I!!”
Why, do I share this story in a Monday Morning Thought? Simply for this reason…I fear that so many people are so wrapped up with the I, Me My mind set that they for all practical purposes close off the hurts, hopes and fears of others.
However I also believe that most of us want to live a life of significance…we desire our lives to count for something beyond the boundaries of our own little existence. We just do not know how, do we? Well it boils down to serving others…rolling up our shirt sleeves, getting a little dirt under our finger nails and investing in a little “sweat equity” in someone elses life. Someone who cannot in anyway PAY YOU BACK.
In the gospel of Mark we find this very challenging teaching, “For even the Son of Man (Jesus) came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45) Service and investing in others is the secret to a meaningful life and one that will live far beyond the breath you breathe will here on earth…Oh yes, Mother Teresa earned a Nobel Peace Prize in 1979; an award she neither sought nor dreamed for but came none the less out of a life of serving those who could never repay her.
Have a great week serving…where? Look around they are there…
Jim
