Service: A superpower anyone can use

When considering “superpowers”, the act of serving others probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. And let’s be real, if you can fly or turn invisible, those are much cooler powers, and you should focus on leveraging those. However, for the rest of us mortals whose best power is not spilling our coffee as we stumble to our desk in the mornings, I think service is actually a really cool power that’s often under-utilized and misunderstood.

Let’s explore:

• How service bends reality (for you, and for others)
• Why service grants superhuman strength

Bend reality with the power of putting others first

The very act of serving others actually bends reality—both yours and theirs. There’s a hormone called Oxytocin which is responsible for feelings of goodwill and heavily promotes unity between people. When you serve others, it releases Oxytocin in your brain and in their brain. This means that serving others actively affects the emotional state of the person serving and the person being served. Maybe it’s not bending spoons with the sheer power of the mind alone, but it IS putting feel-good chemicals directly into someone’s brain. As far as powers go, that’s pretty rad!

This effect is so powerful that it bends reality, creating unity and lifelong bonds between people. This effect is what produces “bands of brothers”, families, and every other tight-knit community out there. The simple act of putting someone else’s needs first, can form lifelong bonds out of thin air.

This effect can perhaps best be seen when serving people who are actively angry with you. A radical idea, to be sure, but one that can be tested the next time you find yourself in a heated argument.

Imagine a husband and wife are arguing. If the husband stops and says,

I’m sorry. I was too focused on myself.

Please explain your side again, and I will listen.

Simply admitting his fault is actually putting the emotional needs of his wife before his own pride and the need to be right! Immediately, the situation will be defused. During this moment of service, the husband is actually bending the reality of the situation (the anger between them) and turning it into a moment of unity and understanding.

The next time you’re in a heated argument, pay attention to the opportunity to serve others first and watch the situation defuse.

Service gives you superhuman strength

Service grants super human strength. Unfortunately, not like the Hulk. Instead it gives you the strength to overcome your own weaknesses. The act of serving lowers the threshold for self-pity, and increases emotional fortitude through the power of perspective. Parents across the world get out of bed exhausted and sleep-deprived every day to care for their children. It’s not because it’s the most beneficial, or fun thing in the world for the parent. It’s something deeper. It’s service.

Sure it’s led by a deep, compelling love for their child, but regardless of motivation—service is service.

The motivation for serving is less important than the act itself.

The act of putting others before ourselves cultivates a resilience and perspective that elevates our ability to overcome.

So.. what?

I’ve talked a big game thus far.

But let me come clean: this post is primarily for myself.

I’m writing this because I need constant reminding that I am not the center of even my own life. The greatest things in life don’t exist in a vacuum, they exist in the context of our community: our friends, families, churches, and teams.

While this superpower is available to anyone, it’s not for the faint of heart. Your pride and your ego will claw to get you back in line, every step of the way. They’ll tell you that you’re too busy, or you’ve got important things you’re trying to accomplish. Your pride will whisper that, “Technically, you were right. You don’t have to apologize.” If you follow the siren’s seductive call, you’ll find yourself lonely and bitter.

So consider this a call to action. Imagine you take these effects and apply them to hundreds or even thousands of people across a lifetime. What you’ll find is a group of people who are all committed to the success and flourishing of one another. This is the positive feedback loop that builds communities like churches, sports teams, and of course—families.

It is within these communities that we find the greatest fulfillment in life.

It is within our families, our places of worship, and the teams we champion that we find a unity and an uplifting of the spirit that is unparalleled in the world.

For this reason, service is a superpower not only for those who wield it, but also for those touched by it.

So go out and be of service to someone else. It’s for their benefit—and yours!