Service (Part 3): Beginning at Home
It is often said that charity begins at home. And yet, sometimes it feels easier to serve out in the world—at church, in the community, in our workplaces—than it does to serve the people right in front of us.
But the deepest opportunities for service are not always dramatic or far away. They are often tucked into the ordinary rhythms of our daily lives—within the walls of our homes and families.
Wisdom from Sacred Texts
Bible: “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal… Charity never faileth.” (1 Corinthians 13:1, 8)
Book of Mormon: “When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.”(Mosiah 2:17)
Doctrine and Covenants: “Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.” (D&C 18:10)
Qur’an: “Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbor, the neighbor farther away, the companion at your side, the traveler, and those whom your right hands possess. Indeed, Allah does not like those who are arrogant and boastful.” (Surah 4:36)
These texts don’t just call us to serve—they remind us that the people closest to us are often our greatest stewardship.
Wisdom from Leaders
President Thomas S. Monson: “Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved.”
Mother Teresa: “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.”
President Gordon B. Hinckley: “It is in the home that we nurture and train and love. It is in the home that we build character.”
Personal Reflection
When I think about service, I realize how easy it is to pour myself out for strangers while neglecting those under my own roof. I have shown up for causes, for neighbors, even for people I barely know—sometimes with more enthusiasm than I show the people who share my daily life.
But service is not only measured in hours volunteered or dollars donated. It is measured in love. And the truest measure of that love is how we treat those closest to us.
Do I serve my spouse with patience? Do I serve my children with presence? Do I serve my family with kindness even when I am tired, distracted, or overwhelmed? These are not small questions—they are the heart of discipleship.
Closing Thought
Service that begins at home doesn’t diminish what we give to the world—it strengthens it. Love, when practiced in the closest relationships, becomes the foundation for every other offering we make.
👉 Reflection Question: What is one act of service—however simple—you could offer this week to someone within your own home or family?
