Service in a Business Suit

Albuquerque, NM

In Justin’s book, Gateway to Eastern Philosophy and Religion, he tells of an experience he had in India while traveling with a holy man. One day, he and the holy man were driving along and they saw a man walking along a lonely road by himself with just a little string around his hips, ashes on his forehead, and various other markings on his body. Justin asked, “What are all those markings?” The holy man answered, “He’s doing penance, tapas.” Justin responded, “Wouldn’t it be greater penance if he put on a business suit and no one could see these marks, and he did it without letting anyone know? That would be real penance.” Justin concluded, “But, of course, there would be no fun to that. If you’re going to suffer and do penance, you want everyone to know about it.” True service, in my mind, is like the man wearing the business suit: Do the work without letting anyone know.