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(J.R. Miller)
A flower blooms no more sweetly, because it is gazed at by an admiring crowd. It would be just as lovely, if it grew in the depths of a great forest where no eye ever saw it.
The stars look down with as much brilliancy into the desert, where no one looks up at them--as into the streets of the great city where thousands behold them.
The sea breaks with as much majesty on an uninhabited shore--as where its waves kiss the feet of multitudes.
It is just so in all true Christian life and work. When one is doing any great thing, and shows by his attitude that he is conscious of it--more than half the greatness is gone from the performance. When a man knows that he is living a life that is very great in its service, when he is conscious that he is being noticed by others--much of the glory is gone from his life. We should live just as sweetly and beautifully when no one is looking upon us to see our deed and praise our life--as when all the world is beholding. The eye of God is ever upon us, and it is His approval and commendation that we should always seek to deserve.
It is said of the great sculptor, Michael Angelo, that when at work he wore a little lamp fastened on his cap, in order that no shadow of himself might fall upon his work.
Just so, we need to take care that no shadows of ourselves, of our pride, our ambition, our self-seeking--shall fall upon our work for Christ.
To labor in Christian work, that we ourselves may have the glory--is to dim and darken the beauty of all we do, and also to make ourselves vessels unfit for the Master's use. We are ready for the most sacred of all ministries--only when we are content to be nothing, that Christ may be all in all.
"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets--to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." Matthew 6:1-4
(J.R. Miller)
A flower blooms no more sweetly, because it is gazed at by an admiring crowd. It would be just as lovely, if it grew in the depths of a great forest where no eye ever saw it.
The stars look down with as much brilliancy into the desert, where no one looks up at them--as into the streets of the great city where thousands behold them.
The sea breaks with as much majesty on an uninhabited shore--as where its waves kiss the feet of multitudes.
It is just so in all true Christian life and work. When one is doing any great thing, and shows by his attitude that he is conscious of it--more than half the greatness is gone from the performance. When a man knows that he is living a life that is very great in its service, when he is conscious that he is being noticed by others--much of the glory is gone from his life. We should live just as sweetly and beautifully when no one is looking upon us to see our deed and praise our life--as when all the world is beholding. The eye of God is ever upon us, and it is His approval and commendation that we should always seek to deserve.
It is said of the great sculptor, Michael Angelo, that when at work he wore a little lamp fastened on his cap, in order that no shadow of himself might fall upon his work.
Just so, we need to take care that no shadows of ourselves, of our pride, our ambition, our self-seeking--shall fall upon our work for Christ.
To labor in Christian work, that we ourselves may have the glory--is to dim and darken the beauty of all we do, and also to make ourselves vessels unfit for the Master's use. We are ready for the most sacred of all ministries--only when we are content to be nothing, that Christ may be all in all.
"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets--to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." Matthew 6:1-4
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