B 04 - An Unselfish Work

AN UNSELFISH WORK

4. Again, the ministry is an altruistic or unselfish work. All worthy work has in it an element of altruism, as it not only ministers to the worker but also to the world. A man can turn any business, however good, to a selfish end as he tries to build it up at the expense of other men’s interests and devotes its profits wholly to his own gratification. But any selfish life is at war with fundamental, psychological, and ethical laws and will work out its own retribution.

Even among worthy vocations some are primarily gainful occupations. The manufacturer or the merchant has his eye on profits and his first thought is for himself, though he may also use his means and turn his whole business to an altruistic end. But there are callings that in their very nature are altruistic and have little regard for personal gain. The teacher, the Y. M. C. A. secretary, the welfare worker, and the philanthropist in any field are not thinking of profit for themselves but of service to others. There is a growing number of these socialized vocations in our modern world and they are a hopeful sign of ethical and spiritual progress. The ministry stands preeminent among these altruistic callings. As the Master came not to be ministered unto, but to minister “ and took a towel and girded himself with it and began to wash his disciples feet, so should all Christians and especially ministers follow in his steps. The minister’s work consists in serving the people as he preaches to them in the pulpit, visits them in their homes, and per forms all the duties of his office; and in all his work he seldom and generally not at all has any thought of any kind of gain or re ward in his mind. Service is his daily round of work. Other men may wonder that he turns away from fields in which he might make a large income and achieve some distinction in order that he may do such work, but he has meat to eat that they know not of. His work therefore is raised to a high level of service and sacrifice, nobility and beauty.

“Let us not be weary in well-doing/ 7 says Paul, or in beautiful doing, as the word means. Unselfishness adorns any deed with beauty, imparting to it a grace more splendid than flashing gems. The ministry is devoted to such work and it ought to be and often is the most beautiful service in the world.