April 20He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much — Luke 16:10.
This does not mean that the Lord's people are to be content with the usual routine of daily life in the home or in the shop, and are to say to themselves, "God accepts my labor as though it were given directly to Him in some other more desirable form," but it does mean that each person so situated should day by day carefully scan his earthly duties and obligations to see in what manner he could justly and properly cut off moments, hours or days from the service of earthly things and earthly interests that now might be given to sacrifice for spiritual things and spiritual interests of himself or others. The consecrated heart, the self-denying disciple, is the one who will improve the moments as they swiftly fly, using them as far as possible in the Father's business—Z '03, 407 (R 3265). One's character is manifest in all he does; therefore his treatment of little things and small duties is as good an evidence of his character as is his conduct in great things. This is the Divine rule of estimating character, and measures the saints, whose faithfulness to the Lord in the little things of the present life He considers a sufficient guarantee of their faithfulness in the great things of the future—P '33, 63. Parallel passages: Zech.4:10; Matt. 25:21; Luke 16:11, 12; 19:17; Heb. 3:2; Prov. 28:20; Matt. 10:22; 24:45-47; 1 Cor. 4:2; Rev. 2:7, 10, 17, 26, 27; 3:5, 11, 12, 21. Hymns: 312, 13, 110, 114, 183, 197, 200. Poems of Dawn, 295: My Service. Tower Reading: Z '15, 234 (R 5740). Questions: Have I this week been faithful? In what things? At what cost? With what results? |
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MY SERVICE
I ASKED the Lord to let me do
Some mighty work for Him;
To fight amid His battle hosts,
Then sing the victor's hymn.
I longed my ardent love to show,
But Jesus would not have it so.
He placed me in a quiet home
Whose life was calm and still,
And gave me little things to do,
My daily round to fill;
I could not think it good to be
Just put aside so silently.
Small duties gathered round my way,
They seemed of earth alone;
I, who had longed for conquests bright
To lay before His throne,
Had common things to do and bear,
To watch and strive with daily care.
So then I thought my prayer unheard,
And asked the Lord once more
That He would give me work for Him
And open wide the door—
Forgetting that my Master knew
Just what was best for me to do.
Then quietly the answer came:
"My child, I hear thy cry;
Think not that mighty deeds alone
Will bring thee victory.
The battle has been planned by Me,
Let daily life thy conquests see."
I ASKED the Lord to let me do
Some mighty work for Him;
To fight amid His battle hosts,
Then sing the victor's hymn.
I longed my ardent love to show,
But Jesus would not have it so.
He placed me in a quiet home
Whose life was calm and still,
And gave me little things to do,
My daily round to fill;
I could not think it good to be
Just put aside so silently.
Small duties gathered round my way,
They seemed of earth alone;
I, who had longed for conquests bright
To lay before His throne,
Had common things to do and bear,
To watch and strive with daily care.
So then I thought my prayer unheard,
And asked the Lord once more
That He would give me work for Him
And open wide the door—
Forgetting that my Master knew
Just what was best for me to do.
Then quietly the answer came:
"My child, I hear thy cry;
Think not that mighty deeds alone
Will bring thee victory.
The battle has been planned by Me,
Let daily life thy conquests see."