The vocation of service is the predisposition of a person to satisfy the needs of another.
The concept of vocation , which comes from the Latin word vocatĭo , refers to a person's tendency towards a job , an activity or a certain state . Service , for its part, refers in its broadest sense to the act and consequence of serving : being at someone's disposal, being useful for something.
The idea of service vocation , in this way, is linked to the predisposition of an individual to satisfy the needs of another . Those with a vocation for service, therefore, are inclined to provide collaboration or help.
Characteristics of the vocation of service
The vocation of service can be related to solidarity and selfless action . By providing a supportive service, the person receives a reward that can be described as internal or spiritual: the satisfaction of doing what is believed to be right. However, it is not intended to satisfy a material interest or obtain another type of income.
There are many people who we can say have or feel a notable vocation for service. Specifically, we are referring to both those who decide to collaborate with an NGO that defends a humanitarian cause and those who volunteer with associations to places in need. And that's without forgetting those who we can see every day who have gone to certain corners of the planet to help refugees fleeing their countries in search of a better life. Of course, those who decide, for example, to collaborate by helping those who live and sleep on the streets on a daily basis, giving them company, food and even hot drinks, also have this vocation.
Selfishness , comfort and laziness are issues that are left aside when a human being puts his vocation of service into practice. Suppose a woman decides to spend her free time preparing food and serving it to the needy residents of her neighborhood. This person could use that time to sleep, watch television, or go shopping, but prefers to lean toward their vocation of service to improve the lives of others.
The vocation of service is associated with solidarity.
The concept in religion
In the field of religion , the vocation of service is associated with the call of God that "listens" to those who dedicate themselves to ecclesiastical life. A man who chooses celibacy and chastity to become a priest will be demonstrating his vocation of service to give himself to the community and to God .
However, as a general rule, when we talk most about a vocation of service within the religious sphere, it is when reference is made to those known as missionaries . These are people, men and women, who belong to a religious order and who consider that the best way they can serve their neighbors is by going to work in disadvantaged areas of the planet.
Exactly what they do is travel to places in the Third World with the clear purpose of helping the citizens of those enclaves not only to have faith in God but to improve their quality of life. Hence, they proceed to act as children's teachers, to carry out health work for those who have an illness, to teach them trades that allow them to survive and have a livelihood...