Cooperation
He Cooperates With Those Who Cooperate With Him—The
Lord sets men in positions of responsibility to carry out not their own
will, but God’s will. He gives wisdom to those who seek Him and
depend upon Him as their Counselor. So long as men represent the pure
principles of His government, He will continue to bless and maintain
them as His instrumentalities to carry out His purposes concerning
His people. He cooperates with those who cooperate with Him.—
Manuscript 81, 1900
, p. 12 (Diary, “Solomon’s Reign”).
The Obstinate Man—Obstinacy is a barrier to all improvement.
An obstinate man will not be readily convinced of anything which
his sight cannot take in. He does not know what it means to walk
by faith. He adheres to his own plans and opinions, be they right
or wrong, because he has already adopted this line of thought. He
may have abundant reason to see that he is wrong; his brethren may
raise their voices against his opinions and his methods for making a
success of the work; but he cherishes an almost immovable bar against
conviction.
Such a man should not be placed on boards or committees. He is
constitutionally unfitted to make important decisions. He is determined
not to be convinced. He will not yield to men of experience, and
therefore he will be a hindrance, instead of a help. He will suggest
sentiments that are unsanctioned by the experience or judgment of
men who are fully as intelligent and as wise as he is. He will make
assertions as though he had all the aftersight, and will uphold his ideas
as all-sufficient. Self has for so long been the ruling element, that the
unfortunate man considers it a virtue to, as he thinks, have a mind of
his own. If his way is not followed, he will raise objections on every
occasion, in small matters and in large. He will hold to his words,
whether they are true, or entirely false. This practice, often repeated,
grows into confirmed habit, and becomes character.—
Manuscript 159,
1898
, pp. 1, 2 (December 8, 1898, “Speak Evil of No Man”).
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