| Finding the Way |
Chapter 10 |
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The abundant life need not be a showy and conspicuous one, nor one that makes much noise in the world. Some people suppose that they are living to a worthy purpose only when they are filling a prominent and conspicuous place among men, doing work which draws all eyes to it. They think they are of no use if they are not making a stir in the world. But there are some whose voices are heard widely in the community where they dwell and yet have little in them that pleases God. They are “rich in outward incident, but poor in inward experience.” Or one may have an abundant spiritual life, and yet move among men so quietly as almost to be unheard and unknown. It was of our Lord Himself that it was written in an ancient prophecy–
“He shall not strive, nor cry aloud;
Neither shall any one hear His voice in the streets.”
No other man ever had such fullness and abundance of life as Christ Himself had, and yet no other ever lived and wrought so quietly. Noise is not force. The real power of life is in its influence, in its force of character, in its personality. Many of those who are fullest of Christ are least known among men. Humility is one of the divinest of graces. One asked Augustine what he regarded as the first of all Christian virtues. He answered, “Humility.” “The second?” He answered, “Humility.” And the third?” “Humility.” Our Lord put the same quality first in His Beatitudes – “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” It is the lowly ones of earth who live nearest to the heart of Christ and have most of His Spirit in them.
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