Upon reflecting on my experience at Matthew 25, I found myself coming to a conflicting conclusion. I had truly enjoyed my experience and yet I was disappointed in what I had done. Everyday and every project we approached at Matthew 25 started with optimism and ended in a state of despair and disappointment. Disappointment that their was not enough time to accomplish our goals. Despair that there are so many in need and feeling like there was so little that we could do. Despair in time wasted looking into projects that had been tried before or that were already going on. So how could I enjoy such an experience? Though what I accomplished was very little, what I gained was very big.
I have always admired those who volunteer their time and money towards the service of others, but never realized some of the struggles that those people may face. The risk that your sacrifice of time and money, though big, may in effect accomplished very little. How do people do this? Well through this experience and others I have had this year, I realized something. The true value of service can not be measured in time spent, money raised, or even lives saved. The true value of service can only be measured by God in the hearts raised and souls saved. How prideful and blind I have been to the true value of service. That the action of service big or small, is truly an action of charity and love. And I believe that everyone can relate to how big of an impact a small act of love can make in your entire life.
So though we may not have accomplished much on paper by some of this worlds standards, I know that in our interactions, we have brought hope to others, motivation to carry on, and inspiration to find more ways to serve.
Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ 40 And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ 41
Matthew 25: 35-41
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I have always admired those who volunteer their time and money towards the service of others, but never realized some of the struggles that those people may face. The risk that your sacrifice of time and money, though big, may in effect accomplished very little. How do people do this? Well through this experience and others I have had this year, I realized something. The true value of service can not be measured in time spent, money raised, or even lives saved. The true value of service can only be measured by God in the hearts raised and souls saved. How prideful and blind I have been to the true value of service. That the action of service big or small, is truly an action of charity and love. And I believe that everyone can relate to how big of an impact a small act of love can make in your entire life.
So though we may not have accomplished much on paper by some of this worlds standards, I know that in our interactions, we have brought hope to others, motivation to carry on, and inspiration to find more ways to serve.
Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ 40 And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ 41
Matthew 25: 35-41
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