Why I want to Serve | Teen Ink

Why I want to Serve

May 11, 2010
By Skilly BRONZE, College Place, Washington
Skilly BRONZE, College Place, Washington
1 article 3 photos 0 comments

Favorite Quote:
The heart has reasons that reason cannot know.


I have always been pretty sure about what I believed, even if those things were misguided. There were times when I very clearly and loudly expressed outrageous opinions--outrageous mostly because I was naive and did not understand the way the world worked. I could articulate my thoughts and convictions, but I was sorely lacking in experience.

Now, I still enjoy a good discussion about beliefs, but I no longer get excited and insist that I am correct. Each of my opinions are formed from what I know of the world, and I try to remember that what I know of the world could change in a heartbeat. When other people try to attack my beliefs, I no longer get defensive. I try to understand why they are so hostile, and I know there are people who share my faith that were hostile to them first.

This has always been a sore point of confusion for me--the main tenant of my faith is love, yet so often in the past I have lost sight of it, and clearly I am not alone in this regard. There is nothing wrong with having convictions, but there really is no point of they are not acted on. I believe that Christ loved the world enough to give up heaven, serve the people, and die for them, but there really is no point to believe that unless I am willing to love the people like Christ did. In many ways it is worse to say I believe in God but behave with hostility to others than to stay silent about my beliefs.

I have always known what I believe, but it is time for me to act on it. In a few months I will be leaving everything I have known and spending a year helping people who want me to help them. People wonder why I would give up an entire year serving others--why I would raise money so I can work to somebody else's benefit.

I hope I will benefit by growing from the experience, but mostly I want to prove to myself that what I believe in is worth believing.


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This article has 1 comment.


Safeleo said...
on May. 18 2010 at 1:26 am
Safeleo, Iwakuni, Other
0 articles 0 photos 118 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Looking up into the night sky is like looking into infinity - the distance is incomprehensible and therefore meaningless.&quot; <br /> -Douglas Adams

I live in a Marine Base and though Serving the Military can be rewarding, it has it's downsides too. There are kids in my class whose parents are deployed or have Post Tramatic Stress Disorder.