Poor, yet making many rich. - 2 Cor. 6:10.
THE ordinary life is generally the most difficult to live beautifully. It has the fewest outward stimulants, and therefore requires a deeper and steadier faith within the heart.
We need Christians who will live the ordinary life in a really out-of-the-ordinary way.
Our lord has a special pleasure, as He Himself has said, in those of His servants who are faithful over a few things. We should beware of misappreciating or undervaluing the so-called commonplace. It is the aggregate of commonplace things which constitutes the greatest of all influences in the social life and unfolding history of mankind. There is wholesome philosophy in the following lines:
A commonplace life, we say, and we sigh;
Yet why should we sigh as we say?
The commonplace sun in the commonplace sky
Makes lovely the commonplace day.
The moon and the stars, they are commonplace things,
The flower that blooms, and the robin that sings; Y
et sad were the world, and unhappy our lot,
If flowers all failed and the sunshine came not!
And God, who considers each separate soul,
From commonplace lives makes a beautiful whole.
It is not only the front line of organ pipes which give forth music. Some of those out of sight are just as musical and sometimes are more important. A rose need not be seen before its fragrance can be appreciated.
The longer I live, the more do I perceive the power and value of those lives which, although they never find mention in newspaper columns, transmit the love and life and grace of Christ among neighbors and workmates and friends.
Publicity is not essential either to faithfulness or true success. Service in secret often has house-top results, even though the connection may not always be detected. We may feel out of sight, but we are never out of God's sight. His love-look is ever on us. He is watching, to see whether we are faithful in our present circumstances.
What sort of a vessel should we ourselves use in an emergency? A draught of water is needed immediately for some unexpectedly ailing person. There are two vessels at hand. One is a beautifully wrought silver goblet; the other is a plain earthenware cup with the handle broken off. Outwardly there is no comparison. The costly silver goblet at once takes the eye. But on being picked up and quickly examined, it is found to be unclean inside from its use the night before, and there is not time to give it the thorough cleansing which it needs. The plain earthenware cup is picked up instead. lt is beautifully clean, not a suggestion of dirt or defilement; and at once It fulfills the purpose because it is ready for use just when wanted.
Christian disciple, seek no longer the elaborate and spectacular forms of service for Christ. Seek sanctification, purity of heart, humility of spirit, preparedness for any and every sudden call of our heavenly Master.
Source: ŠJ. Sidlow Baxter, Awake My Heart