As each of us gets in touch with the specific ways to serve, it is tempting to judge the importance of our work by comparing it to someone else's achievements. And when that person or group earns more money, receives more praise and recognition, or influences more people, our efforts may feel diminished in stature.
But the truth of the matter is that the spiritual path is not a "numbers game." Ways of serving cannot be compared to one another. Each mission is just as important as the next. All assignments are equal.
A director of a school for emotionally handicapped children says about her work, "My job is to serve with joy and to let spirit work through me. It is up to God, not me, to determine how many kids I actually reach. Ultimately, the numbers are not important; for if only one soul's life has been changed through this work, it has been worth it."
Like this woman, your job is to discover what your purpose is - and then fulfill it. It does not matter how small your contribution may seem. You have a special part to play that no one else can duplicate. In God's eyes, all assignments are equal.
People are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges. --Joseph Fort Newton
Communication is much more than words. Words are merely fingers pointing the direction to understanding--they are not understanding itself. To really communicate with someone, we have to allow ourselves, just for a moment, to become that other person. When we do this, we begin to be able to see beyond the masks that hide what another person is really feeling.
When we take the time to really see others, we may discover they are frightened, timid people longing for understanding. When we get beyond reacting to their outward behavior and move toward viewing their inner selves, it is much easier to extend a hand of friendship, to say we care, and truly mean it.
