Category
He who sees Shiva in the poor, in the weak and in the diseased, really worships Shiva; and if he sees Shiva only in the image, his worship is but preliminary.
A similar one
In kannada there is a similar saying-
"Prarthisuva tutigaliginta seve maduva kaigale melu" which means "the hands that serve are superior to the lips that pray"