Why is religious service staff’s attitude part of cultivation?

Religious service also teaches how to treat people and cultivate ourselves. Beyond completing a task, basic respect should let visitors feel faith’s principles genuinely present in interaction.

Staff may hear questions about worship order or incense quantities every day and feel weary of repetition. For a visitor, it may be the first unfamiliar visit. They may not know whether uniforms or vests indicate volunteers, clergy, or paid staff; they simply hope someone can answer.

Enthusiasm matters because people feel whether you enjoy the work and want to help. Repeated tasks still call for practicing patient responses.

I have shared unpleasant pilgrimage experiences to remind students and myself not to give our visitors the same feelings. Those disappointments involved people. Many religious workers serve very well, and a few should not destroy confidence in traditional temples. Notice and learn the good too.

The same requirement applies to Sheng Zhen Men. We value visitors coming up the mountain and disciples and volunteers finding time to help. When able to receive people, we try to put tasks aside for companionship and sharing. Yet discussing conditions then, we admitted that limited staffing and scale could leave imperfect hospitality when busy and asked understanding. Do what is possible well instead of leaving enthusiasm only in words.