The legend on King Arthur tells us that when the old king died and a successor was to be chosen, there was considerable speculation on how a new king should be selected.

At this opportune moment there was discovered a huge stone with a sword embedded in it so that only the hilt was exposed.  It was declared by the ruling powers that he who should be able to withdraw the sword would be crowned king.  Many took the test and failed.  They pulled and tugged and exerted great strength, but the sword would not budge.

Arthur, who was not known to have royal blood because his identity had been hidden at birth, was acting as a second in a contest between knights. The knight he was assisting broke his sword. Arthur remembered the sword embedded in the stone and ran to where it was kept.  He grasped the sword to remove it so that he might take it to the knight he was serving and behold,  a miracle - the sword slid easily from the stone!

Thus King Arthur was proclaimed king because of his unselfish act in seeking the sword to give to another.   In seeking to serve another, he gained his freedom.  His unselfish act was thus rewarded just as unselfish acts of service have been rewarded all through the ages.

Service is the sweet perfume of humane goodness which you cannot pour upon another without getting a few drops on yourself.   The greatest rewards of service are self satisfaction, but often more practical and material rewards follow.