Who is my neighbor?

I agree with Sunny that it's hard to know if our taxes are reaching the right places and benefiting others. I think it also depends on the person receiving welfare. Some people will really use that money to take care of themselves and their families but there are also some people who will use it to buy more drugs. In this case, is paying taxes really a form of service? Even though we pay taxes, it could be that the money given to the people is not used in the way we intended. Going back to the drug example, are we actually making people's lives worse by providing the money? It's true that you can't always control how the money is used since people have freedom of choice and you can't force them to use the money in a better way. That's why I think direct service to the people is more effective and meaningful.

Service should not just be a one time thing that you do over the summer or on a mission trip. It should also be done willingly and out of the goodness of your heart. In the movie Kungfu Panda, Po's father who owns a noodle shop says, "Service with a smile!" I know the expression didn't originally come from there but what I want to say is that service and smile really do go together. Last year I went on a mission to Panama and I tutored at school. Short term verses long term service. Both involve servicing others but the second also involves commitment. Maybe commitment can add a sense of stability to the people you're serving. Either way, I think service is more appreciated and helpful if it is done face-to-face.