John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true." (John
You may be very discontented with yourself. You are no genius, have no brilliant gifts, and are inconspicuous for any special faculty. Mediocrity is the law of your existence. Your days are remarkable for nothing but sameness and insipidity. Yet you may live a great life.
John did no miracle, but Jesus said that among those born of women there had not appeared a greater than he.
John's main business was to bear witness to the Light, and this may be yours and mine. John was content to be only a voice, if men would think of Christ.
Be willing to be only a voice, heard but not seen; a mirror whose surface is lost to view, because it reflects the dazzling glory of the sun; a breeze that springs up just before daylight, and says, "The dawn! the dawn!" and then dies away.
Do the commonest and smallest things as beneath His eye. If you must live with uncongenial people, set to their conquest by love. If you have made a great mistake in your life, do not let it becloud all of it; but, locking the secret in your breast, compel it to yield strength and sweetness.
We are doing more good than we know, sowing seeds, starting streamlets, giving men true thoughts of Christ, to which they will refer one day as the first things that started them thinking of Him; and, of my part, I shall be satisfied if no great mausoleum is raised over my grave, but that simple souls shall gather there when I am gone, and say
He was a good man; he wrought no miracles, but he spake words about Christ, which led me to know Him for myself." ━George Matheson.
THY HIDDEN ONES" (Psa.
Thick green leaves from the soft brown earth
Happy springtime hath called them forth
First faint promise of summer bloom
Breathes from the fragrant, sweet perfume
Under the leaves.
Lift them! what marvelous beauty lies
Hidden beneath, from our thoughtless eyes
Mayflowers, rosy or purest white
Lift their cups to the sudden light
Under the leaves.
Are there no lives whose holy deeds
Seen by no eye save His who reads
Motive and action━in silence grow
Into rare beauty, and bud and blow
Under the leaves
Fair white flowers of faith and trust
Springing from spirits bruised and crushed
Blossoms of love, rose-tinted and bright
Touched and painted with Heaven's own light
Under the leaves.
Full fresh clusters of duty borne
Fairest of all in that shadow grown
Wondrous the fragrance that sweet and rare
Comes from the flower-cups hidden there
Under the leaves.
Though unseen by our vision dim
Bud and blossom are known to Him
Wait we content for His heavenly ray
Wait till our Master Himself one day
Lifteth the leaves.
God calls many of His most valued workers from the unknown multitude." (Luke