As If Serving God
One winter night, Martin, a shoemaker reading the Bible, heard God’s voice say, “I will visit you tomorrow, so watch the road carefully through your window.” The next day, filled with joy at the thought of welcoming God, he prepared warm tea and soup and spent the entire day watching the street. Yet no matter how long he waited, God did not appear. Instead, an elderly street cleaner shoveling snow, a woman shivering in the cold with a baby in her arms, and a boy being scolded by an old woman for stealing one of her apples appeared one after another. Martin served the street cleaner warm tea, offered soup and clothing to the woman and her baby, and intervened so that the old woman would forgive the boy and the boy would reflect on what he had done. As the day came to an end, Martin heard God’s voice once more.
“The people you met today were Me.”
This is the story told in Leo Tolstoy’s short story “Where Love Is, God Is.”
Those who deeply understand God’s sacrifice for the salvation of mankind seek ways to repay His grace. They strive to establish complete faith through prayer and action and to keep God’s decrees and commands. To them, God gave these teachings: “As I have loved you, so you must love one another,” and “Whatever you did for one of the least of these, you did for Me.”
God’s love reaches everyone. God, who came in human form, loved the centurion, though he was a Gentile; the tax collector, though he was condemned by society; the fisherman, though he was looked down upon; the one who received Christ and repented with tears; and even the one who failed to recognize the Savior and initially turned away from Him. He loved them all to the very end. Since we have been gathered in Zion through such love, it is only natural that we too should respect and serve those around us according to God’s will. This applies equally to a passerby, a neighbor’s young child, and the family members with whom we share our daily lives. When we treat others as if we were serving God, every word we speak and every action we take becomes gentler. As we humble ourselves and cherish each soul through service, we gradually grow into the divine nature.
More and more of our lost heavenly family members are returning to Zion each day. As those who have received God’s blessing first, let us set an example for our brothers and sisters by practicing the way of love that reflects God’s nature. As courteous and respectful words flourish among us, Zion will overflow with love and become a place everyone longs to visit.
