By J.R. Miller
One of the best tests of Christian work--is in the way Christ is honored in it. When people think and say little about themselves, and much about the Master--the lesson of faith has been well learned. There is always a temptation to try to draw attention to ourselves, even when doing good, when engaged most seriously in Christ's service. We like to have our work commended. It is pleasant for us--to receive full recognition and credit for what we do. It is natural for us--to desire to have our own name written plainly on any piece of work we make, even though it is something manifestly for Christ. It hurts us to be overlooked, and not to get the honor which we think is due to us, and not to have our service or our faithfulness commended.
The danger is, therefore, that we seek our own honor instead of Christ's, when we are engaged in his service. The minister is tempted, at least, to think of his own reputation, as well as of the glory of Christ in the building up of the church over which he is placed. He has his name to make among ministers. He does not like to fall below neighboring pastors in the measure of success he achieves.
The teacher naturally wishes to win the love of his scholars for himself, while he is winning a place in their hearts for Christ. It is easier, too, to get people to love us and honor us--than it is to get them to do homage to Christ. Yet, if this is all we do--we have doubly failed. We have failed to put honor upon Christ; then we have failed also to give to others anything on which they may really rest in the hour of need. No matter how truly they may love us, how confidently they may trust us, how highly they may honor us--we can do but little for them, in life's real stress. We may bring them the help of our sympathy, the word of cheer, the word of comfort--but we cannot be to them the rock they need to stand upon, the everlasting arm whose enfolding alone can keep them. If all we do for them is to get them to love us and believe in us--we have done nothing for them that will avail in time of real need.
Our work will not stand the test of the day of final revealing. They build only on sand--who get nothing better into their life as foundation than love for a minister, a teacher, a friend, or for any Christian. "Other foundation can no man lay--than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ." We do men real good--only when we get them to put their trust in Christ, to rest altogether on him. To get ourselves built into the foundation, is only to put in wood, hay and stubble.
We have our place as mediators of the divine help. We are little cups in which Christ puts something of his love, that we may carry it to those who are hungry and thirsty. We are vessels to bear his name to others. We are voices to cry in the wilderness the message of grace. But we need to make sure always that we get people to know and love Christ--and not merely to know and love us.
When we turn to the Scriptures, we see that it is the characteristic of all true piety to honor Christ--and not to think of personal honor. John the Baptist was an ideal preacher, and one of the finest things in his life was his self-obliteration. The people were ready to accept him as the Messiah--but he quickly repelled the suggestion, saying, "I am not the Christ. I am not that Light. I am only a witness to testify of that Light. I am only a voice crying in the wilderness, telling men of the Christ to come, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose."
Thus John turned the people's eyes away from himself, and fixed them upon Christ, while he remained unhonored. He said he must decrease, while Jesus increased. He said he was the bridegroom's friend, and therefore rejoiced in the bridegroom's honor, even when his own brightness was eclipsed by it. When Jesus came at last to the Jordan and was baptized, John at once began to point the people to him, saying, "Behold the Lamb of God!" He would have them leave him now, for his work as forerunner was done--and go after the Christ. Nothing in all the story of human life is more beautiful than John's cheerful dropping out of sight, and consenting to be overlooked, forgotten, set aside--in the splendor of the Master's increasing glory.
We have a still higher example. The Holy Spirit, in his work in the world, we are told, does not call attention to himself--but turns every eye to Christ. "He shall glorify me; for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you." He pours forth the light of his own divine shining--but as men look, they think not of the streaming light--but of the blessed face of the Savior which appears in all its beauty, revealed in the midst of the brightness. The Spirit works silently, caring not to be noticed or honored himself, desiring only to get men to see Christ, and to look at him in the glory of his person and the greatness of his redeeming love.
Then the lesson is taught directly. "Let your light so shine before men," said Jesus, "That they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." Our good works are to be seen--but they should make men think of God--not of us. Too many people like to have the honor of their good works, gather about their own head--but Jesus says we should do everything for the glory of God. This teaching leaves no room among motives for self. We should be willing to be nothing--if only Jesus Christ is exalted.
How can we train ourselves to self-forgetful living and serving? We must watch our own heart and see that Christ is truly exalted and honored there. If he is on the throne and his kingdom is really set up in us--we shall think only of pleasing him in all that we do. We shall seek always the glory of his name, and the extending of his sway.
Another suggestion is that we should train ourselves to work quietly, never for notice, never to advertise our deeds or to get them mentioned or praised. It is perilous to form the habit of talking about ourselves and what we have done. Some Christian men and women allow themselves to drift into an easy way of self-reporting, which soon becomes self-glorification. Even in the minds of those to whom they talk, thus they defeat their own purpose, for talking of one's own fine doings, detracts greatly from the fineness of the doings in the thought of those who thus hear of them.
The truest work for Christ, is wrought in self-forgetfulness, without consciousness of the important part one has taken. Moses knew not that his face shone. The Christliest piety, is never aware of its own divineness. The work that is done for Christ without a thought of self--is the heavenliest work. Humility, though it hides its beauty and veils it's shining--is the brightest of all graces. No other quality of heart means so much to a Christian, either in beauty of character or in the peace of the heart.
There is a legend of a good man whom the angels wished to have honored because of the heavenliness of his life. They asked God to give him some new power, and were sent to learn from the man himself what he would choose. He said he wished nothing more than he had; but when importuned to name some new gift which should be bestowed upon him--he answered that he would like to have greater power of doing good without knowing it. So it was ordained that his shadow, when it fell behind him, should have healing influence; but when it fell before his face, should produce no such effect. It is better that we should not even be aware of the good we are doing. What we do is then unmixed with SELF, and the only name that is honored, is Christ's.
We mistake, when we imagine that we are in this world--to make a name for ourselves. We need not give ourselves the slightest concern upon this subject. Indeed, any thought of name or fame for ourselves, always detracts from the purity of our motive and spirit as disciples of Christ. We have only one errand here--to do God's will, to fulfill the divine thought or purpose of our life, and to glorify Christ. We have nothing whatever to do with the honoring of ourselves before men, with looking after our own reputation. If we honor Christ--he will honor us. If we exalt his name in our life--he will exalt our name before the angels and his Father.
