Service Isn’t Weakness—It’s Strength
Eight timeless attributes that once defined our families, communities, and nation—and why we need them now more than ever.
I recently posted on my personal social media that September 2nd each year is not only a personal remembrance of my father’s heavenly birthday, but as I have gotten older, it has become a personal reminder of what service looked like for many in our country’s history.
For those who don’t know my family, my dad served for over two decades in uniform as a U.S. Marine—through two conflicts, WWII and Korea. Then, he spent most of the rest of his working life serving as a Protestant pastor in smaller communities in the Low Country of South Carolina and North Carolina. He never sought out earthly riches. But he did strive to be of service.
I know that his service to his country and community was not unique to my family. My dad was part of the ‘silent generation’ - a generation of Americans that went about doing the work without demanding the praise.
Our country once promoted values of service and contribution to our fellow man. Americans were predominantly focused on making life better for themselves, their family, and their neighbors.
And most of us can certainly find this same type of commitment in our family trees.
It’s a shame that our current culture too often devalues service, empathy, and contribution—treating them as lesser or even “weak” traits (to quote Elon Musk). Cruelty to others, especially the less fortunate, seems to be a preferred motivation for some segments of our society.
For me personally, September 2 is a day to remember my father, the love and respect that he showed for his family and his fellow man, and to ask myself the tough questions: Am I being of service to my community? Am I living the teachings of Jesus that my dad shared from the pulpit?
It raised the question in me - “What does a ‘life of service’ really look like?”
The Core Attributes of a Life of Service
As I’ve reflected on my father’s example and on what it means to live a life oriented toward others, I identified eight core attributes that define such a life:
1. Selflessness
To live for others is to let go of constant self-promotion. Service asks us to sacrifice time, resources, and sometimes comfort for a greater good. This often comes in quiet ways, separated from the bright lights of fame and attention.
2. Compassion and Empathy
Service begins with seeing others—their struggles, their humanity—and choosing to act with care. Empathy is the fuel of contribution. It starts with seeing yourself in the ‘other’ person… and to remember the phrase, “There but by the Grace of God, go I.”
3. Integrity
A life of service is grounded in honesty and trust. Integrity means doing the right thing when no one is looking, because service is never about applause. It might mean that you find yourself to be a ‘lone voice’ for compassion in a room full of anger and hate that would want you to believe otherwise.
4. Commitment and Perseverance
True service isn’t a one-off gesture. It requires staying the course, even when it’s inconvenient or unpopular, and continuing to give when results aren’t immediate. And service is not ‘servile’… it is ‘active’. A life of service is one in which we fight to ensure that the rights, dignity, needs, and equality of all are respected. We do not give up when the resistance is strong.
5. Humility
Service isn’t about being the hero. It’s about knowing you’re part of something larger and being willing to lift others up without demanding credit. Simply put - The more blessed among us are called upon to support and uplift their fellow man, no matter their condition, identity, or faith.
6. Stewardship
A servant life cares for people, communities, and resources with the future in mind—leaving things better than we found them. One of my favorite Greek proverbs is “A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they will never sit.” This is especially important in our fight to save (and repair) our planet for those that come after us.
7. Leadership Through Example
Those who live a life of service inspire not by authority but by their witness. They model the behavior they hope to see in others. As Senator Corey Booker of New Jersey once said, “Don’t tell me about your faith, show me your faith.”
8. Purpose and Meaning
Ultimately, service is not drudgery but joy. It is a source of identity and fulfillment, a way of anchoring our lives to what truly matters. And in this current world that we are living in, finding joy through service can benefit even the most disheartened of us. Helping others heals our own personal wounds.
The Challenge We Face
If these attributes once shaped our culture—if they guided our families, communities, and even our nation—then we must ask:
How did we lose them in our social discourse? Why do we now elevate cruelty, selfishness, and division over humility, compassion, and service? And most importantly—how can we get them back?
That’s the question each of us must answer, in our own families, communities, and circles of influence. The work of restoring a culture of service begins not with speeches or slogans, but with how we choose to live every single day.
I have specifically avoided using the teachings of Jesus in this post to discuss these aspects of service, as I believe that the culture of service is not unique to Christianity. But, I must add here, that for an administration that currently SHOUTS about America being a ‘Christian nation’, the commandments by Jesus to serve our fellow man is sorely lacking in their policies.
Our country will require a culture of service to repair the wounds of our current political and social identity. And it will take all of us to commit to that goal.
What aspect of a ‘culture of service’ have I overlooked in these eight points?