Service

Sometimes you are at a loss for what you may deem to be "worthwhile" service, service with an eye to the eternal, with an intent to provide a lasting rectification to a problem or error. It is delightful to realize that the human heart does seek to serve in ever more lofty avenues, yet I restate for you that even the small
things are of value, for small service, those little events throughout a day, accumulate. They create an attitude of acceptance in the receiver of such service, that sense of friendliness, of being deemed worthwhile, that the flow of time is favorable. This enlarges the willingness to receive guidance that
approaches the soul level. That higher form of service may not be receivable to one who is worn down by the aggravations that could have been alleviated through small services.

Many are perplexed over the question, "What is the will of God?" What I have just stated can be applied to that question. Working out the kinks in your own personality, your perceived flaws of character, your recognized scars from life, can be approached in these small steps. A traumatic event of the past is hard to orient in your personality. May I pause to clarify that these events are not always ones that can be rooted out and dropped, but they need not as well be continually harmful. But if they are oriented properly, perhaps experienced, grown from, and archived, you can grow past them without eliminating them, for they were a significant contribution to your advancement. But to confront a difficult personal chore like this, small, apparently insignificant contributions can be made that help you ready yourself for a deeper, more intense reorganization. It is a small service to oneself.

It can be cautioned that one may avoid facing a difficult personal issue by distracting into an alternate event. For instance, rather than facing an issue with a family member, you wash the car instead. But if you can draw these events into a continuum, not isolate them; use the car wash as the preparation for more
difficult confrontation, perhaps. Discussion would be more ideal, soulful sharing even better. That sense of cleansing that object and the satisfaction of seeing the sparkle can bring hope that this intense project ahead of you could likewise come out as sparkling and as refreshed, rather than dreaded and ignored,
and you distract yourself in something else.

There are a few methods to apply to service. When you approach service of any nature there are three words you can think of that will help you. They are: that you be personal, prayerful, and practical. The personal approach incorporates being loving and caring, listening and accepting. Applying prayer aids in your Adjuster connection, in spirit reciprocity. Of course, if your service is practical it will be immediately beneficial. You then cover the bases of the needs of the soul, the goals of spirit, and the requirements of either the physical body or the environs that need healing or help.

There are also three other keywords that can benefit when applying yourself in service. These are: forgiveness, faithfulness, and fruitfulness.

By fruitful I do not mean results. Service is done only as service to be done, not service for reward or for your own gain. By fruitful I mean the application of the fruit of the spirit, serving tactfully with patience, with kindness. By faithful I mean that you fully trust the Father's overcare and His presence within you and within the one in service need, that your devotion to truth will guide you and safeguard you, that if you are sincere your work will contribute to the need at hand, and that, while you may not be the sole service answer to that need, you will be a contributor and not a detractor.

That brings me to the point of forgiveness. Many times we have witnessed trepidation in a mortal who feels inadequate. Naturally, no one is completed in skill attainment before they are qualified to serve. Many a missionary has gone far afield without more than a few phrases in a foreign language to begin with. Forgiveness before you have acquired a skill and even prior to making a mistake, of your appearing shortcomings, will help you acquire that boldness and step forward  even so.

Likewise forgiveness for the one you seek to serve is important, and I am sure is naturally obvious, for how can a heart extend itself with kindness if you are unable to release what errors may have caused the need for rectification? Forgiveness is a way of eliminating the need to confront that question, to compare your
betterment over another's condition.

The word "service" is interesting for it has often been used in the form of a servant, one who works for one who is better off, one who treats well the guest, like your "food service". Yet in spiritual work it is often the one further advanced who serves the one who needs upliftment. Forgiveness levels the playing field. It puts you on par with your fellow, creates a willingness to exchange and displaces a sense of pride in being better off. It displaces the, "I will fix it." tendency. The Father Himself is the primal forgiver. All of us are under His wing of acceptance and tolerance of our frailties and inadequacies and our imperfection. He has granted us perfection ages before we will stand capable of manifesting that perfection. To do that same thing for ourselves and our fellows will alleviate a lot of difficulties on this planet.

Evelyn: I like your washing the car as a distraction analogy; it isn't to forget or ignore an awkward situation but to prepare you to deal with it in a more wholesome way.

Elyon: Yes, you can use such a scenario as an aid to help you move forward to approach a more difficult event. You can also ask yourself, "Are you contributing to preparedness or are you fostering avoidance?" The sequence of events stands simply as a possible order in which they may be undertaken; washing
the car, confronting your friend. They need not be judged one better or one worse than the other, but it is in your intent that the value becomes apparent. Then you can choose whether facing the personal issue must come before the car wash or after.

You may practically wash the car while prayerfully preparing yourself for your personal exchange with another individual. The time could be spent drawing close to God rather than grumbling irritadedly over your conflict, thereby making you more receptive to your own correction as well as expressing your conflict in hopes that another may be willing to coordinate or compromise and restore, or, better yet, deepen your
relationship.

Daniel: Service is the second most important aspect of spiritual maturity. The first, the most important, is to spend time in quiet. Following that, the second most important thing to keep in mind is service — how one uses the gifts, the talents, the opportunities he or she has to assist their brothers and sisters.

While sharing appears to be an outward and interpersonal activity, it does have a major effect on one's individual growth. You have heard it said that when one teaches a subject he or she becomes even more knowledgeable in that domain. To that effect as the individual spreads the Good News he or she has been given, they themselves grow along with those whom they are sharing that lesson with. So I would encourage each of you to consider service from both perspectives. It will be good for you and helpful to those with whom you share.

There is also the role of sharing in one's life. I now add this new dimension for your consideration as you seek to identify opportunities which come into your life from time to time while you are also attempting to grow spiritually. In this regard you can do them both together. It is as you say "hitting two birds with one stone".

Growth is not a race. The first one there doesn't get anymore advantage than the last one there. The race is what counts. Your order of finish is immaterial. What is important is that you run the race, that you set your
mind to that as your objective, and seek to grow, seek to mature, seek to live, seek to experience what you are given, and while you are growing reach a hand out to a brother or sister who comes into your life and you know you can provide them a hand.

Your future is at hand. So, my friends, continue your time of preparation. Continue getting your house in order. Continue spending time in silence, and when opportunities arise, assist your brothers and sisters who do not have the background which you have been given. But most of all keep your eyes open for soon, very soon, the dawn of this new era will be manifested to all who have ears and eyes open to this new message.

Ken: You mention service, and you mention sharing as being divine, that it is God's divine will that we share. I see that as the First Source and Center, and I see service as coming from the Second Source and Center.
Can you enlighten me, or give me some words, on how the Third Source and Center fits into that equation?

Daniel: Ah, Ken, you are most perceptive. You correctly perceive the source of all love is the Universal Father. The Second Source and Center is the primary motivation under service. Now, the role of the Third Source and Center is to assist the Son in accomplishing what he sets out to accomplish. 

Ken: That's the action of that; from the thought to the word to the action.

Daniel: Very well said. You correctly perceive, and I actually like what you said better than what I said. Your understanding is complete. I compliment you on your diligence, your hard work, and your willingness to share what you have learned with others.