Light Up the Darkness': Raj Nair Reflects on Friday's Day of Service

We’ve all been there. It’s that moment right before you drift off to sleep. You’re finally alone with your thoughts. Now is the time you think about what you’ll say in that meeting tomorrow or remembering to remember to feed the goldfish, but not this night. Tonight your inner dialogue keeps you awake and restless. “I want to do something of real impact. I want to reignite love and belief in this country. My heart is full. I just don’t know where to even begin.”

My friend, I’m speaking to you not as a GBTV employee, but as a man who genuinely aches to find ways to light up the darkness in this world.  I hope we fully understand the blessing and the opportunity set before us this week through Restoring Love.

Booker T. Washington In his transcendent book Up From Slavery saidit best, “Those who are the happiest are those who do the most for others.”

On Friday, the Day of Service, thousands of people from every single corner of this country are flooding Dallas/Ft. Worth to shower selfless love on those who need it most.

On the Day of Service we will be: serving meals to the homeless, cleaning and painting schools, washing cars to help build a 10,000 square foot facility for people with special needa, and the list goes on and on. This is that opportunity, that spark you and I have longed for.

Fulton J. Sheen accurately commented, “When a democracy loses its moral sense, it can vote itself right out of a democracy.” America’s salvation will not come through politics. We will save this republic when individuals declare in their hearts that they are ultimately responsible for what happens in their community.

Restoring Love is not to be mistaken for a spectacle to raise publicity for shared values, but rather a roar to permanently trade in our apathy and excuses, for personal responsibility and dedication to actually DO something about the needs in our communities.

Excuse for a moment while I digress. I find a big reason many kids today dislike reading, is because in school they were forced to dissect stale books paragraph by paragraph. Similarly, the concept of charity has been diluted to “fulfilling your volunteer hours requirement”. Let’s change that. Let this Day of Service be not about us achieving a warm fuzzy feeling, but rather about edifying our fellow American.

I feel humbled to be a part of this event. This is why I work for GBTV.

Lastly, realize that you and I are not alone in this fight. Use Restoring Love as a time to rejuvenate, connect with others, pray and give of yourself.

As C.S. Lewis beautifully asserted, "Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less." Let us worry less about getting patted on the back and instead more about giving a hand up.