Many people resist attempts to get them involved in any kind of volunteer work on behalf of others. Many are also reluctant to get involved with such tragedies as poverty, illiteracy, terminal illness, imprisonment, drug addiction and mental or physical disabilities because we find them depressing and debilitating. We are afraid that we will spend our precious free time only to reap rewards of personal sadness and gloom. An article in the journal, Homiletics, referred to the findings of Allan Luks, in his book, The Healing Power of Doing Good. He surveyed volunteers of all ages, both genders, disparate economic groups and educational levels who were involved in a gamut of volunteer services.
Scientific tests reveal that there is a good deal more to the phenomenon than emotions.
If you examine the difference in what some would call the social conscience of Jesus and the Pharisees, you will find that there is not a tremendous difference between the kinds of things they would say we should do for people. There is, on the other hand, a world of difference between His motivations or purposes and those of the Pharisees. The Pharisees operated almost exclusively out of legalism and a sense of duty. They would urge people to obey and follow the law because it is the law. Jesus talks about willing service.