Quiet Talks on ServiceGordon, S. D. (Samuel Dickey)
Religion
Quiet Talks on Service
Gordon, S. D. (Samuel Dickey)
Christian life
But the one fact being emphasized here just now is that the element of
sacrifice must be in the giving if it is to be effective. Sacrifice was
the dominant factor in _God's_ giving of His Son, real sacrifice. It was
dominant in _Jesus'_ giving of His own self and His life, keen cutting
sacrifice. Who will follow in _their_ train? Whoever will, will be getting
a post-graduate course in financiering and in multiplying of values. He
will be astonished at the results working out, and most astonished at the
final disclosures.
Keeping out of circulation more than one's wants, properly adjusted, call
for is poor financiering. For that which is held back is not earning
anything. All beyond one's needs should be out in circulation for the
Master in His campaign for a world. Yet nowhere is there finer chance or
greater need for the play of keen judgment than in deciding that question
of need. Mistakes are made on both sides. It looks very much as though the
most serious mistakes are being made on the side of too little sacrifice
or none. Yet clearly some serious mistakes are made on the other side
too. But no one may criticise another. Each must decide for himself. In
the judgment of charity we are to presume that each is doing what he
thinks right and best. We are, none of us, the keeper of our brother's
purse.
A Living Sacrifice.
There is a simple story told that contains its truth in its very
naturalness and simplicity. It reveals a bit of the real life ever going
on all around us unnoticed. A minister in a certain small town in an
eastern state received from the home mission board of his church a letter
asking for a special offering for a needy field in the West. With the
letter was literature setting forth the need. The call appealed to him and
with good heart he prepared a special sermon, calling the attention of his
people to the great need.
Sabbath morning came and he preached the sermon. But somehow it did not
just seem to hook in. That banker down there on the left looked listless,
and yawned a couple of times behind his hand. And the merchant over on the
right, who could give freely, examined his watch secretly more than once.
And so it was with a little tinge of discouragement insistently creeping
into his spirit that he finished, and sat down. And he remained with head
bowed in prayer that the results might prove better than seemed likely,
while the church officers passed down the aisles with the collection
plates.
Meanwhile something unseen by human eye was going on in the very last pew.
Back there, sitting alone, was a little girl of a poor family. She had met
with a misfortune which left her crippled. And her whole life seemed so
dark and hopeless. But some kind friends in the church, pitying her
condition, had made up a small fund and bought her a pair of crutches. And
these had seemed to transform her completely. She went about her rounds
always as cheery and bright as a bit of sunshine.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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