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Pastoral Ministry
upon themselves as martyrs. They have yet to learn to accept with
thankfulness the way of God’s choosing, remembering the Author of
our salvation. The work of the minister should be pursued with an
earnestness, energy, and zeal as much greater than that put forth in
business transactions as the labor is more sacred and the result more
momentous.—
Testimonies for the Church 4:442
.
Compassion
Shepherds need kindly, compassionate traits of character—
Brother A, you need to work with the utmost diligence to control
self and develop a character in harmony with the principles of the
Word of God. You need to educate and train yourself in order to
become a successful shepherd. You need to cultivate a good temper—
kindly, cheerful, buoyant, generous, pitiful, courteous, compassionate
traits of character. You should overcome a morose, bigoted, narrow,
faultfinding, overbearing spirit. If you are connected with the work
of God you need to battle with yourself vigorously and form your
character after the divine Model.—
Testimonies for the Church 3:420
.
Christlikeness means living to love and serve—especially the
unlovely—What a wonderful reverence Jesus expressed in His life
mission for human life! He stood not among the people as a king
demanding attention, reverence, service, but as one who wished to
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serve, to lift up humanity. He said He had not come to be ministered
unto, but to minister. I am sure that the great lesson of forgiveness must
be learned more perfectly by us all, and we must practice the Christian
graces. Wherever Christ saw a human being He saw one who needed
human sympathy. Many of us are willing to serve certain ones,—those
whom we honor,—but the very ones to whom Christ would make us a
blessing if we were not so cold-hearted, so unkind and selfish, we pass
by as unworthy of our notice. We do not help them, though it is our
duty to do this,—to bear with their rudeness, while seeking to cultivate
the opposite traits of character.—
The Review and Herald, April 12,
1887
.