Friday, October 30, 2009

Have I Done any Good?


What are "WE" willing to do for others?

The opening hymn today was one of my favorites and as I sang it, I got all emotional.  The words to this song are very dear to me and I want to share them with you:

                                    Have I Done any Good?  (Hymn #223)

Have I done any good in the world today? Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?  If not, I have failed indeed.

Has anyone’s burden been lighter today because I was willing to share?
Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way? 
When they needed my help was I there?

     Chorus: Then wake up and do something more than dream of your mansion above
                   Doing good is a pleasure, a joy beyond measure, a blessing of duty and love.

There are chances for work all around just now.  Opportunities right in our way.
Do not let them pass by, saying “sometime I’ll try,” But go and do something today.

Tis noble of man to work and to give - Love’s labor has merit alone.
Only he who does something helps other to live.  To God each good work will be known.

While I’m on this subject, I want to mention my other favorite song about serving others:
“Because I Have Been Given Much (I too must give)”  (Hymn #219).  I particularly like the lines:

            “Because I have been sheltered, fed by thy good care, I cannot see another’s lack and I not share….”   And “I shall give love to those in need; I’ll show that love by word and deed; Thus shall my thanks be thanks indeed.”

I truly believe that serving others is how we show our love and respect to God:
 
He doesn’t care how much money we make, He’s more interested in whether or not we were willing to compromise our character in order to obtain it.
He doesn’t care how high we climbed on the corporate ladder. He cares about whether or not we performed to the best of our ability.
He doesn’t care about the size of the home we live in, He cares about whether we were willing to open our homes to others.  
                 
He doesn’t care how many clothes we have in our closet, he cares about whether or not we cared enough to help clothe others.
He doesn’t care what kind of car we drive – He cares about whether or not we were willing to drive those who had no transportation.

Our good works don’t get us into heaven, but once we are there we will be rewarded, not for things we accumulated here on earth, but for how we treated those around us.  Did we show love to others?  I have a strong testimony that this is true.