Its Hard to Hit an Object Near the Ground

Posted on by

I think it is safe to assume that nearly everyone wishes to be credited for what he or she has accomplished and is often irked when the praise due to them is accorded to someone else.
Edwin and Lillian Harvey, co-authors of the compilation Royal Insignia, have devoted several readings in their book to this subject. The following are quotations from these readings:
“One day a friend of mine, when passing down a Glasgow street, saw a crowd at a shop door, and had the curiosity to look in. There he saw an auctioneer holding up a grand picture so that all could see it. When he got it into position, he remained behind it and said to the crowd, “Now, look at this part of the picture . . . and now at this other part,” and so on, describing each detail of it. Said my friend, “The whole time I was there, I never saw the speaker, but only the picture he was showing.” That is the way to work for Christ.


—Andrew Bonar. p. 170

“It is when we forget ourselves that we do things that are remembered.
—Eugene P. Bertin.” p. 170

“It is our truest happiness to live entirely for the glory of Christ—to separate between ‘I’ and ‘the glory of Christ.’ We are always saying, ‘What have I done? Was it my preaching, my sermon, my influence?’ Whereas we should be asking, ‘What hath God wrought?’”
–Robert Murray McCheyne, p. 173

Henry Venn relates how, in his associations with Mr. Fletcher, he noted how unfeigned was his humility and how spontaneous his hatred of personal gratification. He says: “When I thanked him for two sermons he had one day preached to my people at Huddersfield, he answered as no man ever did to me. With eyes and hands uplifted, he exclaimed, ‘Pardon, pardon, pardon, O my God.’ The words went to my very soul. Great grace was upon this blessed servant of Christ.” p. 154

“One man insists on seeing his fruit, and God gives way to him and lets him have what he seeks; he sees his work prospering in his hands, but, unhappily, it does not endure; there is in the end the bitterness of disappointment. Another asks but one thing—that he may please to the uttermost Him Who has called him to be His servant. He is willing to wait in apparent sterility until God shall give the increase. He knows that God is the Author of all true fruit and has the absolute control of all resources, and can accomplish by the wave of His hand the renovation of the world. Accordingly he puts his seed into the hand of God, sure that, in the best of times, he will see the best of harvests. Let us abide in Christ, bury ourselves in Him, be found in Him. ‘Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.’
—George Bowen p. 156

Royal Insignia is published by Harvey Christian Publishers and is available in their Online Christian Bookstore.

Continue reading...