Quiet Talks with World WinnersGordon, S. D. (Samuel Dickey)
Religion
Quiet Talks with World Winners
Gordon, S. D. (Samuel Dickey)
Christian life
Now, of course, I do not mean that we are to be thinking of it that way
all the time. The thinking that you have a winsome presence would itself
rob you of the most winsome part of it. Winsomeness of presence is
greatest and sweetest when we are wholly unconscious that there is such a
thing about us. As we are absorbed in Jesus, and in our fellows, the
winsomeness that is native to us shines out most attractively. It has been
covered up and hidden away a good bit by sin. Some men seem to have none.
Some have a great deal, in spite of their ignoring of God.
But as He is allowed to play upon us, as we seek to let His Spirit rule
our conduct and control our powers, the original God-image comes out. This
is a return to natural conditions as planned by God. What has been lost
through sin is restored and grown bigger and richer by the Spirit's
presence. I can give God the full use of this precious gift of
personality.
<u>Growing Bigger for Service's Sake.</u>
There's a second thing to do. This consecrated personality can be made <i>a
developed personality</i>. We don't start into life full size. We have to
grow. The greatest task of life, as well as one of the sweetest, is in
growing fine in grain, and big in size, and skilled in action. The highest
achievement of life and the rarest to find is self-mastery, that is, all
that one is in himself grown big and fine-grained, skilfully used and held
steadily to its true use. All other achievements are through this one.
The stronger I can make my body the more I can give God to use. The more
thoroughly I can understand the great, simple laws of my body, and the
more I can get into the habit of obeying them, the more can God use me in
His plans. Such common things as eating and drinking, breathing and
exercising, sleeping and resting and dress, may not be called common any
more, if through thoughtfulness here you and I can be of greater use to
our Master and our fellows.
The keener and clearer and stronger we can make our thinking, by dint of
self-discipline, the greater power have we with other men. The purer the
heart, the loftier the practical ideals that control the personal habits,
the greater is the winning power at command.
We may not be conscious of the difference. We will not be thinking of
that. But the increased power of attraction is there, and is breathing out
of one's presence, and is distinctly felt by others. And, more, it is
making a distinct mark upon others, more than they know. We must set
ourselves to growing bigger and better for service's sake.
<u>My Mission-field.</u>
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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