You were made to serve others: A response to the question on why we are not contented.
By Aniobi John N
Man is made to exist, but no man exists for himself. We are made for others in diverse ways. Whatever we have is meant to serve the need of others. Just as no man is an Island, so also no man is created to live for himself alone.
When we are blessed, we are not blessed just for ourselves alone, others should have even greater percentage of what we possess. Our knowledge is not meant for us alone. When we think we know, the knowledge becomes relevant when we are able to impart such knowledge on others, through helping people in different ways and circumstances. It is unthinkable anyone refusing to share his learning, skills and knowledge would feel good enjoying such assets alone. “Any story that was never been told is not a story” Even the Scriptures make it clear; you must be a light standing at the mountain top that all men might see. The flower does not hide its roses, rather it spreads its roses that all men might see her unadulterated splendour. You cannot hide your gift just to enjoy it alone. If the flowers refuse to show their roses, it then means they are not following their natural pattern of growth and development A mango tree does not produce mango fruits and later turn back to consume the whole fruit. If it does that, it will not be following it normal cycle. Of course such unnatural trajectory is impossible to imagine. So also all other fruits and flowers.
But it is the humankind who thinks each created for self, living for one’s self. This attitude of life has put man into serious problem and suffering because such attitude of thinking can only bring pains and penury to man and finally, over labour, sleepless nights and even death. It brings sadness and lack of contentment. When we realise that we are living not for ourselves, but for others, it will help us to achieve contentment easily. We will be happy in whatever achievement we have made. We should know that contentment is an achievement. It is highly prized, and amongst the ways of achieving contentment is living for others.
It is obvious that even when you do not know that you are living for others, you are indeed doing so. On the flip side, if you know, it will help you to have a contented spirit, but if you do not know, you will wallow in ignorance and end up living a trouble-filled life, filled with discontentment. I am imagining a man that builds a very beautiful house, who comes every time to praise his house for the beauty it possesses. The general purposes a house serves the owner are as shelter, protection and comfort. The next thing that faces the owner is how to maintain the house. Since it is so large, he will be making extra effort to maintain it and to keep it always intact; even the cleaning of the house will be a big task. Yes, the owner enjoys the house, but people always will also enjoy its beauty as well and those who enter the house will enjoy the serenity of the environment and the comfort of the house. Hence, the effort of the owner to maintain the house will lead to enjoyment by others too. Imagine also a person who wears nice clothes, whom after checking the mirror, could see obviously that the clothes are very nice and that he is good looking. What would it look like if the person goes back and forth, may be 20 times, just to admire himself on the mirror, either praising himself or enjoying his outlook? Psychologically, it is a sickness called “narcissism”, and it is a disorder. It is not normal for someone to admire himself in such a fashion. It is other people that will admire you, and appreciate you. It does not mean that if they do not appreciate you you should not be happy. I am just painting a picture of how whatever you have or you posses are meant for others. Even when you think you are storing your wealth, the wealth has no meaning in the bank, because you simply made a fortune, the bank managers will benefit hugely, for the growth of their banks.
Corrupt leaders loot their country’s treasury, and stack them away in foreign banks instead of using their country’s wealth for national development. The citizens then rush overseas looking for that money, through engaging themselves in works that the corrupt leaders have refused to provide for their citizens. Whenever you think you are living for yourself, you are simply living insanely. Owing to selfishness in leaders who do not wish to serve others they fail to build good hospitals. They carry the money meant for their local hospitals, stock it in the foreign banks. The foreigners then utilize the money to build good hospital for their own people. When the looters become sick they go to foreign lands, and pay heavily for services that ought to be provided at their home countries. This is simply because they thought that they are living for themselves.
Therefore, when we realise that we are meant for others, it will help us to live a contented life. It also helps us to always think of doing the right thing and going about doing it. It removes selfishness, hatred. It brings uprightness, charity and love. It helps us to follow the life hustle not as a do or die affair. One should not kill people he is meant to serve. It is no brainer. One’s life should be that of sacrifice in all ramifications. And it can be a life of sacrifice, only when we are able to realise with certainty and conviction that we are made for others.
Finally, I pray the Almighty God, who gave His only begotten Son for our sake, to die to redeem us from our sins and give us the grace to continue living for others through following of His ways, and through living for other in our daily encounters. Amen!!!
By Père Aniobi John
01/07/2020
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