Here we have a beautiful and fitting illustration of the daily and
living sacrifice of a palm tree saint. If the righteous flourish like
the palm tree, might it not be well to emulate this peculiar
characteristic? When Paul admonished the Roman Christians to present
their "bodies a living sacrifice," he did not mean for them simply to
obtain the blessing of holiness and then stop and thereafter settle down
and enjoy themselves. He meant not only a sacrifice to be offered up at
the given time, but to remain offered up. Our sacrifice is to remain a
living sacrifice. The Christian life is one sacrificed to God's cause
for the sake of glorifying God and being used in His service. The very
word sacrifice means something offered up in devotion. Then if it is
offered up to another, can we claim it as our own? If we are to be like
this peculiar palm, then we are ready to be "poured forth" as Paul said
he was to the Philippians. Here is this sacrificed palm, with its very
life poured out from day to day for the benefit of humanity. And this is
kept up till there remains nothing but the trunk. Oh, what a symbol of
the constant, daily outpouring of one's life and strength for the
benefit of a lost world! Look at David Brainerd, David Livingstone,
Henry Martyn, yea, thousands of faithful men and women missionaries who
have literally poured out their lives, and died for their fellow-men.
The sacrifice element in the Christian life is further illustrated in
another kind of palm known as the Cabbage palm. The terminal bud, or
"cabbage," is enclosed among many thin, snow-white, brittle flakes. It
has the flavor of the almond, but of greater sweetness, and is boiled
and eaten with meat. As its removal causes the death of the tree, it is
regarded as an extravagant delicacy only rarely to be enjoyed.
Here we find the illustration of the martyr element of the palm tree
saint. Paul said, "I am now ready to be offered." Stephen gave himself a
living sacrifice to God, and right away lost his life. The martyrs are
numbered by thousands. Is not this an extravagant method of spreading
the gospel? It may be from a human standpoint, but God in His infinite
wisdom can see beyond our shortsightedness, and permits such to be. "The
blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church." If there were more
persecution today there would doubtless be a better type of Christians.
We should possess the martyr spirit. The word "witness" in the original
is martyr. And surely many of those early Christians proved it. Every
consecrated soul should involve in his consecration the possibility of
losing his life for Jesus; then, if he ever faces the issue, he is
prepared for it, and if he never has to face such an issue, he might
consider it so much clear gain.
III. THE FOREIGN MISSIONARY
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