Happy to Help

Everyone likes the person who is happy to help. There are a lot of people who help, but they due it with contempt, obligation, or resentment. If we don’t do something out of love, then we’d better not do it at all. The same thing applies to commitment. If we’re just going to put in half the effort into a project, then we’d better not start it.

The world needs more people who genuinely help others. This often isn’t just an inherent trait, but learned along the way. Often as we get older, we may begin to truly understand the truth behind the saying, “It’s better to give than to receive.” When I was younger, on days in which I would receive presents, all I could think about is receiving. These days, I love being able to see the look on someone’s face when they unexpectedly receive a gift – it’s priceless. I take a lot of joy in seeing others feel appreciated when they expected nothing.

One bit of advice from the Bible I’ve struggled with applying into my own life, is to treat my neighbor as I want myself to be treated. Naturally, we are selfish and we don’t want to give. The Bible goes so far as to say, “Bless those who curse you.” I’ve bought some gifts for people that I’ve hated before, simply because I went by the wisdom of the Bible over my natural instincts. Hearing the “thank you” from my “enemy” had begun its work to soften my heart.

Love works in mysterious ways. When we think we’ve developed a lot, we may just then begin to realize how much of a process love really is. Love doesn’t have a limit in which it reaches capacity. The beauty and curse of life is that we must continually learn. Even “wise men” have something in which they need to learn, understand, and keep into practice.

Simply being happy to help and be a useful person goes a long way into making this world a better place. It literally takes no effort to be selfish. However, we aren’t able to comprehend the benefits of altruism until we actually take the time to spend time to help – especially when we don’t have anything to “gain” from the experience. Many people from different walks of life could make a massive change in the world, but don’t have the resources, confidence, or opportunity yet. You could be the one to enable them through reaching out in love.

For further related reading, please check out: Performing for an Audience.