Choice is a solemn thing. You can make this moment a turning-point
in your life. Once during the conquest of Peru, Pizzaro's followers
threatened to desert him. They gathered on the shore to embark for
home. Drawing his sword, he traced a line with it in the sand from
east to west. Then turning toward the south he said:
"Friends and comrades, on that side are toil, hunger, nakedness, the
drenching storm, and death; on this side, ease and pleasure. There
lies Peru with all its riches; here Panama and its poverty. Choose
each man as becomes a brave Castilian. For my part, I go south."
So saying, he stepped across the line, and one after another his
comrades followed him, and the destiny of South America was decided.
Napoleon was once offered a position as officer in the Turkish
artillery. He declined it; but had he chosen to accept it, the
history of Europe would have been different.
On your choice in spiritual things depends your eternity. On the one
side there is Christ; on the other, the world. Between them you must
choose. Do not wish to grow both wheat and tares. Oh, choose Christ!
Let there be no half-heartedness. Give Him your whole heart. He died
to redeem you from the curse of sin, and He lives to save you from
the power of sin.
"No man can serve two masters." You can not belong to two kingdoms
at once. Lord Brougham grew to be so fond of Cannes that he sought
to be naturalized as a Frenchman, but found it was impossible to be
both a peer of England and a citizen of a French town; he must
renounce the one to become the other.
Now this is where _the will_ comes in It is easy to follow other
people's lead, to swim with the tide; but it requires character,
moral back-bone, to stand against the current of popular opinion and
practice. During the late war a deserter came into the Federal lines
before Pittsburg. He was asked:
"What did you go into secession for?"
His answer was: "Because they all did."
That reason will account for many a man's action. He will act
according to the saying: "While you are in Rome, do as the Romans
do," neglecting to investigate and determine whether or not the
Romans do right. If they do wrong, a man should stand against a
whole nation, if need be, like another Daniel.
Almighty God set two sides before the children of Israel, and I set
them now before you. Remember, as you choose, that your eternity is
in the balance.
"See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and
evil; in that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to
walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, and His statutes,
and His judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply; and the Lord
thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess
it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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