SELFLESS SERVICE

 
Selfless service is unaffected by results. It is like the rays of the sun that serve the world by shining alike on all creation: on the grass in the field, on the birds in the air, on the beasts in the forest, on all mankind; on saint and sinner, rich and poor, strong and weak — wholly impervious to their attitude or reaction.

It is of vital importance, however, that service, though utterly selfless, be guided by spiritual understanding; for even selfless service unintelligently handled often creates complications and chaos. To be a pure blessing to humanity, the most selfless act of service must be born of absolute understanding of life and governed by faultless wisdom.

Selfless service consists in rendering service to others with no thought of gain, reward, or result; it is free from the thought of placing others under obligation. In serving a fellow human being in the spirit of spontaneous, selfless love, one does not put him under obligation. On the contrary, the one helped confers upon the helper the blessing of an opportunity to serve his own true self.

There is complete disregard of one's own convenience or welfare in selfless service; it is characterized by absolute subjugation of one's own happiness — by unalloyed joy in sacrificing everything for the well-being of others. In selfless service the comfort of others is one's convenience, their health one's healing, their happiness one's delight. Giving one's life for others, one gains glorious life for oneself.

Sheltering others in one's heart makes one inhabit theirs. An act of helpfulness, a word of comfort, the spontaneous warmth of selfless love, give to others what they greatly need. Their thoughts of gratitude and goodwill, the heightened surge of their spirit, and the increased flow of God-love released by the selfless act bring to the giver infinitely more than he can ever give.

Service performed after realization of the divine law of the universe is a spontaneous expression of spiritual understanding; it is rooted in full comprehension of the true nature of the self. Though it is followed by important results in the objective world, it is in no way affected or complicated by craving for such results.

The sun shines because it is its nature to do so, not out of any ambition to achieve something by it; the God-realized person lives a life of spontaneous self-offering, prompted by the heart of the divine Reality with which he knows himself to be one, not out of longing to achieve anything for himself. The God-conscious do not seek enrichment through attainments, for having realized the Infinite, they are already established in the divine sufficiency of the universe.

Selfless service reaches its acme in the God-realized Master. The Perfect Master serves the whole universe out of the finality of his infinite consciousness; those who serve the Master or submit to his guidance share in his universal work. Their service has the advantage of the Master's wisdom and insight.

Willing participation in the work of the Master not only enhances the value of the disciple's service, but also creates most favorable opportunities for spiritual enlightenment. In importance, service originating in the instructions of the Master is second only to the service rendered by the Master himself. Selfless service is a road that leads to God.