Meaningful Service.....

[applepansy]

What does "meaningful service" mean to you?

Why I ask is often I see service organized to accommodate the person giving service rather than accommodating the person needing service. Am I alone in this observation? I'm trying to not judge or condemn but I also don't understand. I never considered true meaningful service as convenient.

P.S. I also am very aware that I don't ever have the whole picture.

[Dravin]

If one is optimizing convenience, for the giver, surely the service wouldn't be done at all. The first situation that comes to my mind is with Elder's Quorum's moving people, often there are requirements that things be packed first. Which seems reasonable to me. I don't see why for something to be meaningful service that service must maximize inconvenience or why it must go A - > B-> C-> D instead of C-> D. And sometimes even if it isn't the most convenient for the movee sometimes the only time someone can help is on Friday night instead of Saturday morning. Surely service, even when not given at the ideal time, from the receiver's perspective, is more meaningful than no service?

To put it into a different context. If I do the family's laundry is it somehow not meaningful service if it's requested they put dirty clothes in the hamper instead of my picking up dirty clothes off the floor? And If I can only do it on Thursday evenings even though that means Timmy can't, as he might find more convenient, dirty something on Monday and wear it on Wednesday does that detract from the meaning of the service?

Something tells me you have a specific situation or type of situation in mind though, so our thought processes may just be wondering off at right angles.

Edited October 2, 2012 by Dravin

[applepansy]

Dravin, I agree that not all convenient service is meaningless. All service has meaning.

We just hear so much about "meaningful" service and in my experience service that really has a big impact is rarely convenient. Its usually spur of the moment and you find yourself in the middle of a crisis (big or small) or its when the Spirit speaks clearly and loudly and you respond (usually there is an important, immediate need).

Yes there is a specific circumstance happening right now but its not the first circumstance I've seen where the needs of the people giving service to a family/person were put before the needs of the people needing service. Maybe this will help...I'm talking about something more serious than moving, or even cleaning a house, or taking in meals. Its more about the welfare of children or elderly. I wish I felt comfortable being more specific....sorry.

[Dravin]

Dravin, I agree that not all convenient service is meaningless. All service has meaning.

We just hear so much about "meaningful" service and in my experience service that really has a big impact is rarely convenient.

See as per your original question (about what meaningful service means), I wouldn't equate meaningful service with service that has a big impact. If someone has to take their spouse to the hospital and I am asked (or even offer) to watch their children while they do so I'm not sure that's what I would call big impact, but it would certainly be meaningful in my mind. Heck, something as simple as mowing the neighbor's lawn can be meaningful service and how big of an impact is cut grass?

Yes there is a specific circumstance happening right now but its not the first circumstance I've seen where the needs of the people giving service to a family/person were put before the needs of the people needing service. Maybe this will help...I'm talking about something more serious than moving, or even cleaning a house, or taking in meals. Its more about the welfare of children or elderly. I wish I felt comfortable being more specific....sorry.

Well if one gives service without heed to one's own needs one ends up starving, naked, and without clothing. Now there is obviously a balance to be struck between not being inconvenienced in the least and giving service until you're evicted from your house, but that balance is going to be best known by the person giving the service and the Lord. Though I suppose to that group I might add relevant leadership working closely with the person giving service.

Edited October 3, 2012 by Dravin

[Misshalfway]

That is an interesting definition, Dravin. Meaningful service = a big impact. I think I might agree that sometimes very simple almost incidental things can create a big impact in the life of someone else. Fanfare doesn't always equal meaning for the person receiving it.

I remember when I was pregnant and put on bedrest. I had lots of help. All of it was meaningful for someone involved but not all of it was what I wanted or needed because the person giving wasn't always plugged in. Maybe they were just trying and hoping the offering was received or they had their own agendas. While I do carry a few resentments about the whole affair, I still think that even with all the perfection it was truly meaningful. I remember one time the Lord whispered to me that the service wasn't for me. It was for the sweet woman who was serving me. So, I tried to get out of the way and let the Lord do His thing.

[applepansy]

See as per your original question (about what meaningful service means), I wouldn't equate meaningful service with service that has a big impact. If someone has to take their spouse to the hospital and I am asked (or even offer) to watch their children while they do so I'm not sure that's what I would call big impact, but it would certainly be meaningful in my mind. Heck, something as simple as mowing the neighbor's lawn can be meaningful service and how big of an impact is cut grass?

Tending someone's children while they take a spouse to the hospital is a big impact in my mind. But then mowing the lawn for an elderly person who can't mow their own lawn is a big impact in their life too. Even mowing the lawn of the single mother next door whose teenage son is being rebellious would be a big impact.

Maybe "big impact" wasn't the right words.

Well if one gives service without heed to one's own needs one ends up starving, naked, and without clothing. Now there is obviously a balance to be struck between not being inconvenienced in the least and giving service until you're evicted from your house, but that balance is going to be best known by the person giving the service and the Lord. Though I suppose to that group I might add relevant leadership working closely with the person giving service.

Yes, balance is important. I think we have to be "able" to give service to make it meaningful, but sacrifice is an important aspect too. I don't think the level of sacrifice determines if service is meaningful or not.

What I am experiencing is some judgement because the sacrifice I'm willing to make might be my dishes don't get done, or the floor vacuumed, etc.

Another situation I was involved in that bothered me was the service came with unrealistic expectations. Should there be conditions on service? Or am I getting into the teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime?

[applepansy]

That is an interesting definition, Dravin. Meaningful service = a big impact. I think I might agree that sometimes very simple almost incidental things can create a big impact in the life of someone else. Fanfare doesn't always equal meaning for the person receiving it.

I remember when I was pregnant and put on bedrest. I had lots of help. All of it was meaningful for someone involved but not all of it was what I wanted or needed because the person giving wasn't always plugged in. Maybe they were just trying and hoping the offering was received or they had their own agendas. While I do carry a few resentments about the whole affair, I still think that even with all the perfection it was truly meaningful. I remember one time the Lord whispered to me that the service wasn't for me. It was for the sweet woman who was serving me. So, I tried to get out of the way and let the Lord do His thing.

I used the words "big impact" first.

That's what I'm running into....the agendas.

[Dravin]

Another situation I was involved in that bothered me was the service came with unrealistic expectations. Should there be conditions on service? Or am I getting into the teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime?

I don't see anything wrong per se with conditions on service, either on the giving side or the receiving side. When the Elder's Quorum says they'll be there to help you move boxes but they won't pack they're putting a condition on their service. They'll help you move but you need to pack your stuff first. When someone needs meals but they say, "Please, nothing with nuts, my son is allergic to nuts." That's putting conditions on the service and I don't see anything wrong with that, or the EQ condition.

Now while I don't think there is anything wrong with conditions on service as a principle I will say I do think some conditions can be unreasonable. If the Elder's Quorum is demanding everything be palletized, or the meal recipient is demanding lobster then we're in unreasonable territory.

[Dravin]

That is an interesting definition, Dravin. Meaningful service = a big impact. I think I might agree that sometimes very simple almost incidental things can create a big impact in the life of someone else. Fanfare doesn't always equal meaning for the person receiving it.

Actually I was disagreeing with the idea that meaningful service equates to a big impact. Of course a lot of it has to do with how we're defining big impact. You say big impact and things like donating a kidney or bone marrow come to mind, for me at least. Applepansy's response to me seemed to suggest she meant big impact based on the perception of the receiver, which is a bit of a different paradigm than what came to my mind.

Edited October 3, 2012 by Dravin

[idahommie]

"Meaningful service" could be as simple as bringing the morning paper up the stairs for an elderly person. Why it could be as simple as doing your Home/Visiting teaching :)

[applepansy]

I appreciate everyone's thoughts on this.

The conclusion I came to is "meaningful service" is situational and also very much dependent on the heart of the giver and receiver.

I've also decided to just do my thing. I'm having a hard enough time with my own shortcomings and doing my part to worry about the interruptions, agendas, and other distractions that pop in our way.