If a child finds itself in want of anything, it runs in and
asks its father for it--does it call that doing its father a
service? If it begs for a toy or a piece of cake--does it call
that serving its father? That, with God, is prayer, and He likes
to hear it. He likes you to ask Him for cake when you want it;
but He doesn’t call that “serving Him.” Begging is not serving;
God likes mere beggars as little as you do; He likes honest
servants, not beggars. So when a child loves its father very
much, and is very happy, it may sing little songs about him;
but it doesn’t call that serving its father; neither is singing
songs about God, serving God. It is enjoying ourselves, if it’s
anything; most probably it is nothing; but if it’s anything, it
is serving ourselves, not God.--JOHN RUSKIN.
(2922)
=Service Unnoticed=-See RESULTS OF GOOD DEEDS.