Healthy Normality
49
The Hyssop, the Cedar, and the Palm—In all the Lord’s arrange-
ments there is nothing more beautiful than His plan of giving to men
and women a diversity of gifts. The church is His garden, adorned with
a variety of trees, plants, and flowers. He does not expect the hyssop to
assume the proportions of the cedar, nor the olive to reach the height
of the stately palm. Many have received but a limited religious and
intellectual training, but God has a work for this class to do if they will
labor in humility, trusting in Him.—
Letter 122, 1902
(
Evangelism, 98,
99
).
Characters as Varied as the Flowers—From the endless variety
of plants and flowers, we may learn an important lesson. All blossoms
are not the same in form or color. Some possess healing virtues. Some
are always fragrant. There are professing Christians who think it their
duty to make every other Christian like themselves. This is man’s plan,
not the plan of God. In the church of God there is room for characters
as varied as are the flowers in a garden. In His spiritual garden there
are many varieties of flowers.—
Letter 95, 1902
(
Evangelism, 99
.)
Powers of Mind and Body—the Gift of God—The requirements
of God must be brought home to the conscience. Men and women must
[55]
be awakened to the duty of self-mastery, the need of purity, freedom
from every depraving appetite and defiling habit. They need to be
impressed with the fact that all their powers of mind and body are the
gift of God and are to be preserved in the best possible condition for
His service.—
The Ministry of Healing, 130
(1905).
God Desires Symmetrical Characters—God reproves men be-
cause He loves them. He wants them to be strong in His strength, to
have well-balanced minds and symmetrical characters; then they will
be examples to the flock of God, leading them by precept and example
nearer to heaven. Then they will build up a holy temple for God.—
Manuscript 1, 1883.
(
Selected Messages 1:48
.)
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