| Finding the Way |
Chapter 12 |
Page 7 |
A man may not have the gift of eloquence and may almost envy another whose speech is winning. But the man of slow speech may have power in prayer. Adelaide Procter gives a legend of a monk who preached with great power. In those who heard, sorrow and love and good resolve awoke. A poor lay brother, sitting on the pulpit stairs, rejoiced as he saw how the eloquent words of the monk moved men. The monk himself praised God that his words were used, that hearts were melted, and lives led up to the heights of loving sacrifice.
“So prayed the monk: when suddenly he heard
An angel speaking thus: ‘Know, O my son,
Thy words had all been vain; but hearts were stirred,
And saints were edified, and sinners won,
By his, the poor lay brother’s humble aid,
Who sat upon the pulpit stairs and prayed.’”
We need never envy any one the gift he possesses. That is his gift, and we have our own. Ours may not seem as great or as important as his, but that need not concern us. We are responsible only for what god has given us, and all we have to do is to make the fullest possible use of it. If another’s gift is more brilliant than ours, the other has a greater responsibility than we have, and we need not envy him. Besides, we do not know what particular gift is most important, what kind of work ranks highest with God or does most for the up-building of Christ’s kingdom. Perhaps it means more to be able to pray well than to speak well. Power with God may be a mightier factor in doing good than power over men. It may be that the quietest people, who are not often heard of, who work obscurely and without fame, are quite as well known in heaven and as highly honoured as those who are in conspicuous positions and receive praise from men.
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