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Mind, Character, and Personality Volume 1
of His kingdom. What they needed was a change of heart that would
bring them into harmony with its principles. Calling a little child to
Him, Jesus set him in the midst of them; then tenderly folding the
little one in His arms, He said, “Except ye be converted, and become
as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” The
simplicity, the self-forgetfulness, and the confiding love of a little child
are the attributes that Heaven values. These are the characteristics of
real greatness.—
The Desire of Ages, 437
(1898).
Self-expiation the Principle of Prayer in False Religions—The
heathen looked upon their prayers as having in themselves merit to
atone for sin. Hence the longer the prayer the greater the merit. If they
could become holy by their own efforts, they would have something
in themselves in which to rejoice, some ground for boasting. This idea
of prayer is an outworking of the principle of self-expiation which lies
at the foundation of all systems of false religion. The Pharisees had
adopted this pagan idea of prayer, and it is by no means extinct in our
day, even among those who profess to be Christians. The repetition of
set, customary phrases when the heart feels no need of God is of the
same character as the “vain repetitions” of the heathen.—
Thoughts
from the Mount of Blessing, 86
(1896).
No Self-assertion in the Life of Christ—In His life no self-
assertion was to be mingled. The homage which the world gives
to position, to wealth, and to talent was to be foreign to the Son of
God. None of the means that men employ to win allegiance or to
command homage was the Messiah to use. His utter renunciation of
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self was foreshadowed in the words: “He shall not cry, nor lift up,
nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall He
not break, and the smoking flax shall He not quench.”—
Prophets and
Kings, 692, 693
(1917).
God’s Remedy for Selfishness and Self-exaltation—There is in
man a disposition to esteem himself more highly than his brother, to
work for self, to seek the highest place; and often this results in evil
surmisings and bitterness of spirit. The ordinance [foot washing] pre-
ceding the Lord’s Supper is to clear away these misunderstandings, to
bring man out of his selfishness, down from his stilts of self-exaltation,
to the humility of heart that will lead him to serve his brother.
The Holy Watcher from heaven is present at this season to make it
one of soul searching, of conviction of sin, and of the blessed assurance