I know you faithful GUTS readers have been wondering, when are we going to get another installment in the G.U.T.S. series. I didn’t forget you. Here it is. Worry not. I am up to 77 GUTS acrostics now. There will be more GUTS for a long time to come.

     Today’s offering is GUTS #31 – Gear Up To Serve –

     Soldiers gear up for battle. People gear up for hiking, mountain climbing, hunting, para-sailing, parachuting and myriads of other things. Many special tasks require that we gear up for them; That we undergo special training to get ready for them.

     One such task is service. Yes, service.. Not what you expected me to say; huh? But yes this is one specialized task that none of us ought to miss out on. It is the greatest & noblest call of a human being. Bob Dylan said “You gotta serve somebody” but I am pretty sure he didn’t master the art.

     Yet, the point is a good one and we do have to serve in life…. But more importantly than “having” to serve. We  “GET” to serve. It’s not just a “GOT TO” but a “GET TO.” Service elevates us as human beings to a role higher than selfish possibilities. It propels us to the possibilities of benevolent good.

     It is inspired by the Divine nature and cause us to live and operate on a higher realm of truth and meaning. That is why people like the late Mother Teresa are so revered. Because we all know that they  reached the highest plateau of meaning in life. They have left the minor halls of selfish acquisition and sailed the higher plains of philanthropy.

    Wikipedia refers to philanthropy as caring for, nourishing, improving, and enhancing the quality of life for human beings. — In a strange way; it is only in finding the good, worth and value in others, that we find it in ourselves. It is only in serving others that we find the highest virtues of good for our own direction.  The greatest of all Master’s, Jesus; declared that to be first, we must become the very last and the servant of all. (Mk. 9:35)

    We are not born with a mastery in service. In fact selfishness seems to be an inborn trait. That is why I say, we mush “gear up” for service. We must investigate possible avenues of helping others. We must explore ways that we can help those around us. We must build and develop our capacity to love and prefer the good of other human beings. To attain your highest thresh-hold of good in life; you must GEAR UP TO SERVE.

Slam a.k.a. Tim G Carter