We are just taking what is given by Him, and then offering it back to Him. Whereas, this love, which we have inside is also Him. But it’s upon us to develop it or not; it’s upon us how we handle it.We can go and do service on the outside. We can give to many organizations that buy a lot of things and give them to the poor countries. Does it mean that this is service? You can always put a hundred Euros every month aside, and give it to an organization account saying, “That’s service.” But the moment the money is gone, you don’t even know what is happening with what you have given.
When you yourself go and participate in the actual service work, it creates joy for you. And that’s the joy that God wants you to develop. People say, “Yes, but I don’t have time to go and serve.” In the mind when you talk about service, people think that you have to go to India or to Africa to serve. But here where you live, your neighbor is dying or the neighbor by your side is hungry. You’re thinking of India but you may see the same road everywhere. Offer from deep within your heart the flowers that you have inside. Offer it to Him. In this way, you don’t even need to sit to pray because He always will be with you.So, open up your heart. And serve whenever you can. Help whenever you can. Service starts near and around you.
From Utpalavati With Love: Gurudev did not have this in His talk, but a reader suggested it and it is timeless truth. St. Paul wrote in His First Epistle to the Corinthians: l CORINTHIANS 13:4-8
Love is patient,
Love is kind and is not jealous;
Love does not brag and is not arrogant,
Does not act unbecomingly;
It does not seek its own,
Is not provoked,
Does not take into account a wrong suffered,
Does not rejoice in unrighteousness,
But rejoices with the truth;
Bears all things,
Believes all things,
Hopes all things,
Endures all things.
Love never fails.
