Don't be a slave—be an angel!

Don't Be a Slave

Lately I've been increasingly interested in service and humanitarian work (hence the creation of this site). Being fascinated by the etymology of words and wanting to learn what service really is, I headed over to Merriam–Webster.com and scrolled right past the definition to check out the origin: apparently the word service originally comes from the Latin servus meaning "a slave." As disappointing as this revelation was, it unfortunately wasn't surprising.
Who can relate to feeling like a slave—being taken advantage of and pushed around—while trying to be helpful and kind? Sometimes we may take it in the teeth and ignore the voice inside saying, "Isn't this supposed to make the giver and the recipient feel good? I don't enjoy this." Experiences like this can taint and alter our perceptions, making us think service must be forced, difficult, boring, and a burden.

Be Someone's Angel

Thinking of service in terms of slavery didn't sit well with me so I pressed on and came across a related term: seraph. According to Dictionary.com a seraph is a celestial being "of the highest order of angels." They are the attendant angels, the heavenly servants who hover around God's throne.

What if we imagine that, to the recipient of our service, we are angels or attendants? The concept of service as something angelic certainly elevates its importance and shifts our perceptions into a more positive light. Wouldn't we rather be someone's angel than their slave?

Expanding the View

Slaves or angels—this is all fascinating—but what is service? Heading back over to Merriam–Webster.com we take a look at some of the actual definitions. Service is:

• A help, use, or benefit
• A contribution to the welfare of others
• A helpful act
• To do the work that is needed to keep...in good condition
• To provide (someone) with something that is needed or wanted
• To repair or provide maintenance for

After thinking over these definitions for a while, I realized they weren't separate definitions, but were actually all required elements of rendering proper service. If we consider a machine, we know that it needs care to run well. Providing regular maintenance keeps it in good working condition and does not require much time or effort. If we do too much, say, turn a screw too tight or change a filter too often, we could strip the screw or be wasteful. Conversely, if we don't do enough and are neglectful, the machine could break down and call for difficult, time-consuming, and costly repairs. Once we have the machine back up and running, however, it will continue to help and benefit the user.

Similarly, the service we render should be useful. It should aim to benefit, not only the receiver, but also the giver. As we look for ways to get involved, we should find current needs to fill (look for any deficit—physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual) to ensure our service is beneficial. While service is a good thing, we should avoid excess. Hanging around either extreme—surplus or neglect—is not healthy; balance is critical in maintaining a habit of service. Doing too much wears us out (and charities, believe it or not, sometimes do get overloaded with donations). Doing too little, however, prolongs or exasperates suffering which then requires major "repairs." Regular, or "maintenance," service keeps needs in check, simplifies what needs to be done, keeps suffering to a minimum, and helps us make service an enjoyable habit.