4 Benefits of Succor (Legacy Part 5)

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“From now on, any definition of a successful life must include serving others.”  George Bush

A friend of mine saw a homeless man one day during a hot summer day.  My friend happened to have a bottle of water. So, he gave it to the homeless man sitting on a street corner. Some people would respond to that with surprise, others with disinterest. But we really should be responding with a question: “When was the last time I served others?”  It doesn’t have to be the homeless. It can be anyone that we are in contact with. Family, friends, co-workers, even strangers.

A characteristic of a positive leadership legacy is succor.  But what is “succor?” The noun definition of succor is “assistance and support in times of hardship and distress.” The verb definition is “give assistance or aid to.”  A few synonyms are aid, help, relief, and assist.

To do more for the world than the world does for you – that is success. Henry Ford.
I remember when I was involved in youth work on the East Coast. There was a time when I had the privilege in working with a small group of teen boys at the church I attended in Delaware. My challenge was to challenge them to care about their world and help them understand they could make an impact. One of the things we did was to help at a food distribution center. We would package and repackage items to be given to those who needed them. Even though I don’t recall many details, I do remember this: those boys saw the need and how they could meet that need. Serving others can be a very powerful tool in changing lives.

BENEFITS

What are some benefits of serving others? There are many. However, I list just four of them below.

1. SERVING CREATES MEANINGFUL THANKFULNESS

Serving is a way to give back that’s actually meaningful and shows we’re really thankful. Serving others is the result of our “insane thankfulness.” That’s the motivation behind serving. That’s why we serve. Because serving gives us a way to live our our thankfulness.

2. SERVING BLESSES THE PERSON YOU’RE SERVING

Perhaps the most obvious of obvious benefits, serving others actually serves others. Serving makes the world a better place. It’s the same reason so many world changers try to serve others too, or at least look like that’s what they’re doing. They know that pulling it off is world changing. Problem is, they don’t have the support to actually do it completely selflessly. But we do. Or should.

3. SERVING ENCOURAGES OTHERS

When others see you serving others, they get fired up. Don’t discount the power of peer pressure, or peer motivation.

4. SERVING ENCOURAGES YOURSELF

Encouragement is amazing like this. When you encourage someone else, the encouragement comes back around to you. It’s a side effect, and it works two ways. First, serving others often means learning amazing things and reminding others of these amazing things. But guess what? In the process, you remind yourself, which builds you up too. Second, the response from others can be infectious.

“GOOD GRIEF”

“Don’t think your service might be as useful as a barber’s shop on the steps of a guillotine.” Unknown. 

You are only fooling yourself if you think you cannot have an IMPACT on the world around you through service. Service doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be as simple as giving someone a bottle of water.

I invite you to comment on this post. What are your thoughts about service?

 

 

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