HAVE you ever observed an experienced hand sweeping a dusty floor? Have you ever tried the task yourself? If so, you know the need of gentleness; for it is better to let the dust alone than to brush it up in a bustle all over the place.
Now there are many of us, who have eyes to see the dust lying about in the church of God, but if we would have hands to sweep, if we would contribute towards spiritual cleanliness, towards removing evil from God’s house, it is necessary that we ourselves have the grace of gentleness; for otherwise our efforts to remove evil will merely result in the stirring up of a cloud of dust to the vexation of our souls and those of others.
THE Apostle Peter speaks of the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. Now the world sets a high figure upon diamonds and rubies, but genuine humility is the jewel God prizes. We say genuine humility, for as there are false diamonds and rubies palmed off upon those who are ignorant of jewels, so there is much mock humility in the Christian market. Surely it were better to be without ornaments than to wear a sham!
It is said that the only sound test whereby to prove the diamond is to rub its surface with a file, and that this rude treatment in no way injures the jewel Surely the rough things of life applied like a file to the feelings test most surely the genuineness of the Christian ornament. There are not many who can bear much “rubbing up the wrong way.” In truth, the file test does reduce the number of apparent jewels—but being humbled is not being humble.
IN autumn the swallows congregate upon the copings of a neighboring mansion there they assemble daily and chatter together in their homely way before their time has come, and when their time does come, they rise as a cloud and fly away. Surely if we considered our time so near at hand, we should hold more together, and engage in heavenly conversation more frequently.