Life is made to give

A small task performed in sincerity is worth far more than a great task performed with motivation for oneself.

Life is made to give and not to take, for it is in giving that we really receive. As we receive the true knowledge which is inherent within us, we use that knowledge wisely in service.

Everything serves in life; everything except the cunning mind that devises things for its personal glory. What glory does the flower take upon itself in giving its beauty and fragrance to the world? The wind through the trees whistles its beautiful symphonies. The sun shines, the moon reflects light. Such service! The tides of the ocean keep on flowing to and fro, the rains come, food grows. Look at the service nature provides for us all the time.

To the true humble person there is no praise nor blame: he keeps on working. For nothing can inflate him or deflate him. He rises above it all and nothing can distract him from the path of service.

What is the motivation? Is it self-aggrandizement, or is it the expression of ego: “I must be held on a pedestal because I am doing this.” That kind of service has no value for the person himself. You will always find that people who try to serve others in this manner have many kinds of sufferings and imbalances. The reason is that they are not thinking of others, but of themselves. That kind of service is not humility, it is vanity.

If service is performed as an offering, then praise or blame will not affect you at all. Because once you find that inner joy of serving, you become like the lotus flower growing amidst all the mud and yet untouched, forever remaining pure. Your very offering is joy, and joy is the essence of purity.