We must be careful to serve for the right reasons. We should not serve others purely for recognition. Serving others should not be like a social media post, writes Kayla Kaimarama-Willie of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Have you ever asked yourself, “What good have I done today? Did I make someone smile? Did I say hi to someone passing by? Did I offer to help someone in need?”

I invite you to ponder the words of a familiar hymn and take a moment to self-reflect:

Have I done any good in the world today?

Have I helped anyone in need?

Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?

If not, I have failed indeed.

Has anyone’s burdens been lighter today because I was willing to share?

Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?

When they needed my help was I there?

My dear brothers and sisters, we are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, our kindness - be they family members, friends, acquaintances, or strangers.

In his 2009 address, President Thomas S. Monson, the 16^th president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said, “we are the Lord’s hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is dependent upon each of us.”

One might say, “I can barely make it through each day, doing all that I need to do. How can I provide service for others? What can I possibly do?”

The opportunities to serve others are limitless. We do not have to look very far to find it. However, our hearts and our desires need to be in the right place to recognise these opportunities.

If we are not careful, we can miss our chances of being a blessing in someone else’s life. We should avoid being “selective” on who we should help. Instead, let us be more like our Saviour Jesus Christ who served everyone regardless of their background or circumstances.

In Matthew 25:40, the Saviour taught, “… Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Anything we do to other people; we are doing it to God. Service is truly an outward expression of our inner commitment to be like our Saviour.

President Spencer W. Kimball, the 12^th president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, once said, “The Lord answers our prayers, but it is usually

through another person that he meets our needs.” Service is helping others who need assistance without expecting anything in return. Christlike service grows out of genuine love for the Saviour and love and concern for those whom He gives us opportunities and direction to help. Love is more than a feeling; when we love others, we want to help them. All of us must be willing to serve, no matter our income, age, or social position.

While this is true, we must be careful to serve for the right reasons. We should not serve others purely for recognition. Serving others should not be like a social media post. We do not do it for the ‘likes, shares, or comments’. We should serve because we genuinely care about those that need our help.

Jesus commanded us to love and serve everyone. He is the perfect example of service. As taught in Matthew 20:28, Jesus Christ didn’t come to earth to be served but to serve and to give His life for us. He loves us more than we can understand. When He was on the earth, He served the poor, the ignorant, the sinner, the despised. He taught the gospel to all who would listen, fed crowds of hungry people who came to hear Him, healed the sick, and raised the dead.

He is the Creator of the earth, yet He did many humble acts of service. One of his noblest acts of service is when He took a basin of water and a towel and washed the feet of his disciples. In those days, washing a visitor’s feet was a sign of honour and was usually done by a servant. Jesus did it as an example of

love and service. When we willingly serve others in the spirit of love, we become more like Christ.

My dear friends, I testify that true service comes from the heart. May we all strive to follow our Saviour Jesus Christ by serving everyone with love. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.