Living for the BestMcClure, James G. K. (James Gore King)
Religion
Living for the Best
McClure, James G. K. (James Gore King)
Christian life; Spiritual life
Wonderful resources are often developed in others through this purpose
to put our best into them. No one knows the power latent in another
life. The most unpromising looking people may have faculties that, once
awakened, directed, and called into action, will do a blessed part in
the world's advance. Every school whose history can be followed for
fifty years has had pupils that at the outset seemed absolutely
unpromising, that seemed even incapable of appreciation or development,
but who, under the devotion and inspiration of some teacher or
fellow-pupil, became so aroused and so efficient that their names are an
honor to the school. The glory of every Ragged Boys' Home in a great
city is that former inmates who were thieves, parentless and friendless,
were so reached by a patient, loving man or woman that they became
industrious and honorable citizens, holding positions of power in the
city itself or possessing prosperous acres in the country. It is the boy
picked up in the streets of New York and sent West to be a member of a
farmer's household that was led by that household's interest into such
character that he was appointed governor of Alaska. "I have made," said
Sir Humphry Davy, "many discoveries, but the best discovery was when I
discovered Michael Faraday." There is scarcely any joy comparable with
the joy of discovering to himself and to the world the best elements
possible in another's life. The one who brought about this discovery
gladly sinks into the background, and rejoices to let the field be
occupied by the one discovered. It would seem as though God Himself must
have rejoiced when, after all His patient teaching of Moses on the side
of Horeb, He saw Moses showing his superb power of leadership in Egypt,
and that God must have similarly rejoiced when He saw Paul responding to
His charge and manifesting traits of love, forbearance, and humility
that Paul had not thought he possessed. To put one Elisha into the
world's arena, there to stand and battle for the right, was the crowning
glory and the crowning joy of Elijah's life. The men or women that can
take the best that is in them and put it into another, so that another
shall live the best, honor the best, and glorify the best, can ask no
higher privilege in life.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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