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TheDiscipleMD

In the winter of 1994, our church stake center burned down. It was still being rebuilt when I was put into the stake presidency. The cultural hall had been “carpeted,” and I hated that we had to play basketball on a carpeted floor, not a wood floor. As the gym floor was about to be put in, I made an emotional plea to the stake president to have wood put on the floor. He inquired to the powers that be and informed me that it was too expensive and that we would have to make do with the “carpet.” Somehow, though, he was able to “swing” it at the last moment, and he cheerfully informed me that “wood” was going to be put down in place of the carpet. I was thrilled and told him so. Then I said, “Wouldn’t it be great to have a “logo” in the middle of the floor? It could have the state of Maryland on the floor with stars around it, representing the 13 units of the stake. He laughed and told me I was dreaming. Of course, I knew there was no way we could get a “logo” as I had been in many church buildings and had never seen one.

The week the floor was going to be laid, we held a conference at one of the local congregations.  At the end of the conference, we scheduled visits to different unit members.  As we were organizing the visits, I was informed that a new member had just moved into the branch that past month and that his profession was putting down “logos” for gym floors. I asked for his name, immediately teamed up with another member, and visited him. On the way, the member called to let him know we were stopping by for a visit.  After we arrived and were escorted into the living room, we chatted about him and his family for a while. After about thirty minutes, I asked him about his profession. He told me that he put down gym floors and named a few major universities on the East Coast that he had done. I told him I heard he put “logos” on floors as part of his job. He said yes and went on about how to do it, its design, how much it cost, etc. I then popped him this question. “We are putting down a floor in our stake center this week. It will be a new wood floor. The church can’t pay you any money, but would you be willing to put a logo on the floor for free?” He sat back in his chair and thought for a moment. Then he said, “The Lord has done a lot for me in my life. I think I can do this one thing for Him!” I was at the stake center that Thursday as they put the new floor down. True to his word, this brother showed up with a crew of three and put down the logo that I had requested. Within a month, this brother moved out of the stake, never to be seen or heard from again. I don’t even remember his name. (Rumors of the 3 Nephites have since circulated!)

I have since moved from Baltimore and I’m not sure if the logo is still there. It doesn’t really matter. But the memory of the response of- “The Lord has done a lot for me in my life. I think I can do this one thing for Him!” is still crisp in my mind. 

There is so much beauty in serving the Lord when we expect nothing in return. “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.” (Matt: 6: 1-2) This experience, as well as many others, has taught me that “true” service to God is without pay or praise.

Over the years, I have witnessed thousands upon thousands of hours given in service by wonderful men and women who give without thought of any earthly reward. And I don’t think most of them were even motivated by thoughts of eternal rewards. I think they are just filled with the spirit of Christ and did good things because that is who they are. I’m sure there are eternal rewards for those who willingly do good things with no thought of compensation, but I think the biggest reward for doing unrecognized good things is that it makes you feel good about yourself. And what a wonderful blessing it is to be able to like who you are and what you are all about!