Quiet Talks with World WinnersGordon, S. D. (Samuel Dickey)
Religion
Quiet Talks with World Winners
Gordon, S. D. (Samuel Dickey)
Christian life
The third thing is <i>a world-wide vision</i>. That is to say, our thinking and
planning and praying and giving shall be on a world scale. There is
nothing remarkable about this. The strangely remarkable thing is that
there is so little of it. Man was made on the world size. It is natural
to us to grasp the world in our thinking and action. This other thing of
living on a smaller scale is the cramping effect of sin. We were, made
big. We are big. We need a big world. We enjoy bigness. We get this from
God. We are truest to ourselves as we live on the world plan. The world
was given us originally to subdue, and now to win.
This does not mean to neglect anything or anybody nearby. It's a bit of
the cramping of sin that anybody thinks so. The man who spreads a map of
the world beside his open Bible in the morning or evening prayer-hour is
likely to have a warm hand for the fellow next him. We are made that way,
to grasp the globe, <i>and</i> each thing close at hand that needs our care.
That's a bit of the image of God in us. As we allow Him sway, the original
power is restored to us.
One result of this will be that many of us will go in person to some
far-away part of the great world-field. That's a serious thing to do,
requiring some special qualification of body and of training. For the task
out there is a great one. There are trying conditions to be met. The very
best is called for.
If a man may go in person to the foreign field he is greatly favored. Let
nothing hold him back. It is a privilege to serve anywhere. But the
highest privilege of service is out there. Many cannot go; and many may
not go. Some are plainly bidden to stay. The home administration of the
missionary enterprise requires strong men at home.
A second result will be that wherever we are, will be a mission-field to
us. We are, where we are, <i>to give</i>, not to get. Whether in far-off China
or maybe in some disillusioned commonplace home town, we will be winning
men to Jesus all the time <i>by direct touch</i>. The mastering thought will be
to let the wondrous Spirit reach out through us, freely and fully,
unhindered by anything in us, and so touch every one whom we touch.
In any circle, business or social, our hearts will be saying, "I am among
you as he that serveth." Consciously, by direct word, by indirect touch,
with love's rare diplomacy we will win men. Unconsciously, by our
presence, we will as really be winning them.
No one has an imagination vivid enough, or words graphic enough, to tell
the power of that direct human touch. All life is athrill with its magic.
Even when it becomes less direct, a bit removed from the personal, its
power is indescribably great.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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