Consecration in Ministers
345
from unlearned and humble men. These wise men marveled at the
success of the lowly disciples, and finally accounted for it to their own
satisfaction from the fact that they had been with Jesus and learned
of Him. Their character and the simplicity of their teachings were
similar to the character and teachings of Christ. The apostle describes
it in these words: “God hath chosen the weak things of the world to
confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world,
and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which
are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in
His presence.”
Those who teach unpopular truth today must have power from
on high to combine with their doctrine, or their efforts will be of
little account. The precious grace of humility is sadly wanting in the
ministry and the church. Men who preach the truth think too highly of
their own abilities. True humility will lead a man to exalt Christ and
the truth, and to realize his utter dependence upon the God of truth. It
is painful to learn lessons of humility, yet nothing is more beneficial
in the end. The pain attendant upon learning lessons of humility is
in consequence of our being elated by a false estimate of ourselves,
so that we are unable to see our great need. Vanity and pride fill the
hearts of men. God’s grace alone can work a reformation.
It is your work, my brother, to humble yourself and not wait for
God to humble you. God’s hand at times bears heavily upon men to
[379]
humble them and bring them into a proper position before Him; but
how much better it is to keep the heart daily humbled before God.
We can abase ourselves, or we can build ourselves up in pride and
wait till God abases us. Ministers of the gospel suffer little for the
truth’s sake today. If they were persecuted, as were the apostles of
Christ, and as were holy men of God in later times, there would be a
pressing closer to the side of Christ, and this closer connection with the
Saviour would make their words a power in the land. Christ was a man
of sorrows and acquainted with grief. He endured the persecutions
and contradiction of sinners; He was poor, and suffered hunger and
fatigue; He was tempted by the devil, and His works and teachings
called forth the bitterest hatred. Of what do we deny ourselves for
Christ’s sake? Where is our devotion to the truth? We shun the things
which do not please us, and avoid care and responsibilities. Can we