| Finding the Way |
Chapter 19 |
Page 2 |
The man who has never known a hardship, who never has had to practice self denial or make a personal sacrifice, may be the envy of other men whose lives have been one continued struggle. They may think that if they could have had his easy circumstances they could have made a great deal more of their life. But really their chance in life thus far has been far better than his. Manhood is made in the field of struggle and hardship, not in ways of ease and luxury. Hindrances are opportunities. Difficulty is a school for manhood.
Strength is the glory of manhood. Yet it is not easy to be strong – it is easier to be weak and to drift. It is easier for the boy in school not to work hard to get his lessons, but to let them go, and then at the last depend on some other boy to help him through. It is easier, when something happens to make you irritable, just to fly into a temper and say bitter words, than it is to keep quiet and self controlled. It is easier, when you are with other young people and they are about to do something that you know to be unworthy, just to go with them, than it is to say, “I cannot do this wickedness against God.” It is easier to be weak than to be strong. But we know where weakness leads in the end.
Nothing is impossible to young men. General Armstrong said, “Doing what can’t be done is the glory of living.” Anybody can do the easy things, the things that can be done. A young man who has no higher goal than the things he knows he can do will never rise to any sublime height. “What are Christians put into the world for but to do the impossible in the strength of God?” said General Armstrong again. Jesus said the same – that if we have faith we can remove mountains – that is, do things that are impossible to human strength, because faith unites us to God and His omnipotence works them in us and with us. God expects a great deal of those who are strong. He does not expect much of babies, of invalids, of paralytics, or of feeble minded people; but young men have in them vast possibilities of power. Is it manly not to use this power for God, for country, for truth, for humanity? One of the most pitiful things the stars look down upon is a young man with fine gifts, with strength, with love, with genius, able to do some noble work, yet wasting all his possibilities in some form of debased living.
Page 2