Serving God

I have brought you thus far through the two preceding chapters with a view to finally settling the question of duty. This is one that puzzles and perplexes very many people who are earnest and sincere, and gives them a great deal of difficulty in its solution. When they start out to make something of themselves and to practice the science of being great, they find themselves necessarily compelled to rearrange many of their relationships. There are friends who perhaps must be alienated, there are relatives who misunderstand and who feel that they are in some way being slighted; the really great man is often considered selfish by a large circle of people who are connected with him and who feel that he might bestow upon them more benefits than he does. The question at the outset is: Is it my duty to make the most of myself regardless of everything else? Or shall I wait until I can do so without any friction or without causing loss to any one? This is the question of duty to self vs. duty to others.

I have guided you through the previous two chapters to finally settle the question of duty. This question confuses and troubles many earnest, sincere people, who find it very hard to resolve. When they set out to make something of themselves and practice the science of being great, their relationships must change. Some friends may have to be alienated. Some relatives misunderstand and feel they are somehow being slighted. A truly great man is often seen as selfish by many people connected with him. These people feel he could do more for them than he does. The first question is: Is it my duty to make the most of myself, regardless of everything else? Or should I wait until I can do so without conflict or causing anyone any loss? This is the question of duty to yourself versus duty to others.

One’s duty to the world has been thoroughly discussed in the preceding pages and I give some consideration now to the idea of duty to God. An immense number of people have a great deal of uncertainty, not to say anxiety, as to what they ought to do for God. The amount of work and service that is done for him in these United States in the way of church work and so on is enormous. An immense amount of human energy is expended in what is called serving God. I propose to consider briefly what serving God is and how a man may serve God best, and I think I shall be able to make plain that the conventional idea as to what constitutes service to God is all wrong.

Our duty to the world has been fully discussed in the previous pages. I will now consider the idea of duty to God. A vast number of people feel very uncertain, even anxious, about what they ought to do for God. Here in the United States, an enormous amount of work and service is done for him through churches and similar activities. An enormous amount of human energy goes into what is called serving God. I will briefly consider what serving God means and how a person may best serve God. I think I can make it clear that the conventional idea of service to God is entirely wrong.

When Moses went down into Egypt to bring out the Hebrews from bondage, his demand upon Pharaoh, in the name of the Deity, was, “Let the people go that they may serve me.” He led them out into the wilderness and there instituted a new form of worship which has led many people to suppose that worship constitutes the service of God, although later God himself distinctly declared that he cared nothing for ceremonies, burned offerings, or oblation, and the teaching of Jesus, if rightly understood, would do away with organized temple worship altogether. God does not lack anything that men may do for him with their hands or bodies or voices. Saint Paul points out that man can do nothing for God, for God does not need anything.

Moses went down into Egypt to free the Hebrews from bondage. In the name of God, he demanded of Pharaoh, “Let the people go that they may serve me.” Moses led them into the wilderness and established a new form of worship there. This has led many people to think that worship is the service of God. Yet God himself later clearly declared that he cared nothing for ceremonies, burnt offerings, or other offerings. And the teaching of Jesus, if rightly understood, would do away with organized temple worship altogether. God needs nothing that people can do for him with their hands, bodies, or voices. Saint Paul points out that people can do nothing for God, because God needs nothing.

The view of evolution which we have taken shows God seeking expression through man. Through all the successive ages in which his spirit has urged man up the height, God has gone on seeking expression. Every generation of men is more Godlike than the preceding generation. Every generation of men demands more in the way of fine homes, pleasant surroundings, congenial work, rest, travel, and opportunity for study than the preceding generation.

The view of evolution we have taken shows God seeking expression through humanity. Through all the ages, his spirit has urged humanity upward, and God has continued seeking expression. Every generation is more like God than the generation before. Every generation demands more than the generation before: fine homes, pleasant surroundings, enjoyable work, rest, travel, and opportunities to study.

I have heard some shortsighted economists argue that the working people of to-day ought surely to be fully contented because their condition is so much better than that of the workingman two hundred years ago who slept in a windowless hut on a floor covered with rushes in company with his pigs. If that man had all that he was able to use for the living of all the life he knew how to live, he was perfectly content, and if he had lack he was not contented. The man of to-day has a comfortable home and very many things, indeed, that were unknown a short period back in the past, and if he has all that he can use for the living of all the life he can imagine, he will be content. But he is not content. God has lifted the race so far that any common man can picture a better and more desirable life than he is able to live under existing conditions. And so long as this is true, so long as a man can think and clearly picture to himself a more desirable life, he will be discontented with the life he has to live, and rightly so. That discontent is the Spirit of God urging men on to more desirable conditions. It is God who seeks expression in the race. “He worketh in us to will and to do.”

I have heard some shortsighted economists argue that working people today should surely be fully content. Their reason is that workers are so much better off than they were two hundred years ago. Back then, a workingman slept beside his pigs in a windowless hut, on a floor covered with rushes. If that man had everything he could use to live the fullest life he knew, he was perfectly content. If he lacked what he needed for that life, he was not content. The man of today has a comfortable home and many things that were unknown only a short time ago. If he has everything he can use to live the fullest life he can imagine, he will be content. But he is not content. God has raised the race to a point where any ordinary man can imagine a better, more desirable life. That life is beyond what he can live under existing conditions. As long as a man can think and clearly picture a more desirable life, he will remain dissatisfied. He will be dissatisfied with the life he has to live, and rightly so. That discontent is the Spirit of God urging people toward more desirable conditions. It is God seeking expression in the race. “He works in us to will and to act.”

The only service you can render God is to give expression to what he is trying to give the world, through you. The only service you can render God is to make the very most of yourself in order that God may live in you to the utmost of your possibilities. In a former work of this series* I refer to the little boy at the piano, the music in whose soul could not find expression through his untrained hands. This is a good illustration of the way the Spirit of God is over, about, around, and in all of us, seeking to do great things with us, so soon as we will train our hands and feet, our minds, brains, and bodies to do his service.

The only way you can serve God is to express what he is trying to give the world through you. The only way you can serve God is to make the most of yourself. That way, God may live in you to the fullest extent of your potential. In an earlier book in this series* I mention a little boy at the piano. The music in his soul could not come through his untrained hands. The boy’s struggle illustrates how the Spirit of God is above, around, and within all of us. God’s Spirit seeks to do great things through us as soon as we train ourselves to serve him. We must train our hands and feet, our minds, brains, and bodies for his service.

Your first duty to God, to yourself, and to the world is to make yourself as great a personality, in every way, as you possibly can. And that, it seems to me, disposes of the question of duty.

Your first duty to God, yourself, and the world is to become as great a person as you possibly can. This means developing yourself in every way. And that, it seems to me, settles the question of duty.

There are one or two other things which might be disposed of in closing this chapter. I have written of opportunity in a preceding chapter. I have said, in a general way, that it is within the power of every man to become great, just as in “The Science of Getting Rich” I declared that it is within the power of every man to become rich. But these *The Science of Getting Rich. sweeping generalizations need qualifying. There are men who have such materialistic minds that they are absolutely incapable of comprehending the philosophy set forth in these books. There is a great mass of men and women who have lived and worked until they are practically incapable of thought along these lines; and they cannot receive the message. Something may be done for them by demonstration, that is, by living the life before them. But that is the only way they can be aroused. The world needs demonstration more than it needs teaching. For this mass of people our duty is to become as great in personality as possible in order that they may see and desire to do likewise. It is our duty to make ourselves great for their sakes, so that we may help prepare the world that the next generation shall have better conditions for thought.

There are one or two other matters to address before closing this chapter. I discussed opportunity in an earlier chapter. I said, in general, that every man has the power to become great. Just as I declared in “The Science of Getting Rich,” every man has the power to become rich. But these broad claims need qualification. *The Science of Getting Rich. Some men have such materialistic minds that they are completely unable to understand the philosophy presented in these books. A great many men and women have lived and worked until they are almost unable to think along these lines. These people cannot receive the message. We may do something for them through example, by living this way before them. But example is the only way to stir them to action. The world needs examples more than it needs teaching. Our duty to these people is to become as great in character as possible. Then they can see our example and want to do the same. We have a duty to make ourselves great for their sake. In doing so, we can help prepare the world so that the next generation has better conditions for thought.

One other point. I am frequently written to by people who wish to make something of themselves and to move out into the world, but who are hampered by home ties, having others more or less dependent upon them, whom they fear would suffer if left alone. In general I advise such people to move out fearlessly, and to make the most of themselves. If there is a loss at home it will be only temporary and apparent, for in a little while, if you follow the leading of Spirit, you will be able to take better care of your dependents than you have ever done before.

One more point. People often write to me because they want to make something of themselves and go out into the world. But family responsibilities hold them back. Others depend on them to some degree, and they fear those people would suffer if left alone. In general, I advise these people to go out fearlessly and make the most of themselves. If anyone at home suffers a loss, that loss will be temporary and only seem real. For if you follow the guidance of Spirit, you will soon be able to care better for your dependents. You will be able to care for them better than ever before.