The standard of our service

As a warm-up question, our Bible study leader Pastor Ferdie asked if we had all seen the movie “Gladiator.” Yes, we replied. Then he taught us that although they were designed to entertain the Roman citizenry, the gladiators were doomed to death or destruction.

In spite of all that, those gladiators had some sort of family or “conjugal relations” within the circle of their existence. They even managed to have babies or children that were treated as refuse or garbage when the parents were killed in mortal combat or sold as slaves. But there were people who would take those babies and children from the garbage dumps and care for them, even if doing so was a big sacrifice.

Pastor Ferdie went on to tell us how Roman citizens would mock the people who would save the children of gladiators and captives and labeled it as an act typical of a sect called Christians or followers of Christ. Saving babies and children became “the Standard” by which they were known. If you saved babies, if you helped the downtrodden, fed the helpless and hungry, that meant that you were a follower of Christ.

Two days later I was the guest speaker of the Rotary Club of Tanauan which was celebrating its 40th anniversary as a club as well as the 39th year of giving awards of recognition for the Most Outstanding Public Servant (MOPS). My assignment was to highlight the significance of Service, which is a pillar of the Rotary movement worldwide.

It was through a narration given by one of their officers that I learned of the many acts of service that the Rotary Club of Tanauan has served all over the province of Batangas. From setting up an independent dialysis center, helping displaced residents during the Taal Volcano eruption, building police outposts, conducting medical missions, etc.

I usually decline such invitations because I honestly don’t feel qualified or accomplished enough to be speaking to a room of successful individuals with colorful careers, profitable businesses or stellar academic pedigree. On this occasion, I said yes because it was the right thing to do, knowing that the gentleman tasked to invite me, Mr. Manny Lascano, was many years my senior but had sought me out in two different locations for three days, accompanied by his wife Chit.

I reminded the recipients of the MOPS awards to develop the attitude of gratitude not for the shiny classy plaques or flowery words, but for the fact that someone, in this case an organization, was saying we see how you work, how you serve and what you do for others.

I shared that once, twice, maybe even every now and then, we will all hit a low where we wonder if we made a difference, if we changed someone’s life or if we were significant in our profession or calling. When that happens to me, I automatically turn to my wife Karen, and she would narrate how and why.

She knows because she was also part of the work, the risk and the sacrifice. It is truly a blessing to have a spouse, family or friends who can be there to affirm and remind us. But in case you don’t, then those plaques and certificates of recognition are like windows to our memories, for us to look back to as evidence of our participation, contribution, even our sacrifice at work or in society.

But what happens when the cheers die down, when the glorious moment is replaced by the monotony of work or life? Do we go on just doing the same thing over and over again? Hoping to be recognized for a job well done? That is the irony of life, in fact. Society tends to honor the obvious and the expected.

We honor awardees recommended by their office, boss or organization for doing something they are actually paid to do or must do. It’s not really a popular thing to honor people like the Christians during the Roman times, people whose symbol or “Standard of Service” was to save the rejects or outcasts of society. They were not paid to do it, but they did so in obedience to the teachings of Jesus Christ that they were living by.

I left the audience with two thoughts: a subtle challenge and strong reminder from our Lord Christ. The challenge was to level up our acts of service consistently until people see it as our way, our Standard of Service. The strong reminder was from the book of Matthew chapter 25 verses 34 to 45.

The short version is that when Jesus returns to judge us all, he will say to one group: come you who are blessed by my father; take your inheritance, for I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger, but you invited me in. I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you healed me. I was in prison, and you visited me.

Then the righteous will ask: when did we do all of these? The King will reply, I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers/ sisters of mine, you did for me.

Then he looked to the other group and said: get away from me, you accursed lot destined for hell along with the Devil. For I was hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, in prison and you did nothing for me.

Then they asked, when did we do all of these? He replied: I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.”

May we remember, see, care and act on behalf of those in need – and let that be the Standard of our Service.