Chapter 48—Counsels on Stewardship
The spirit of liberality is the spirit of heaven. Christ’s self-
sacrificing love is revealed upon the cross. That man might be saved,
He gave all that He had and then gave Himself. The cross of Christ
appeals to the benevolence of every follower of the blessed Saviour.
The principle there illustrated is to give, give. This, carried out in
actual benevolence and good works, is the true fruit of the Christian
life. The principle of worldlings is to get, get, and thus they expect to
secure happiness; but carried out in all its bearings, the fruit is misery
and death.
The light of the gospel shining from the cross of Christ rebukes
selfishness and encourages liberality and benevolence. It should not
be a lamented fact that there are increasing calls to give. God in His
providence is calling His people out from their limited sphere of action,
to enter upon greater enterprises. Unlimited effort is demanded at this
time when moral darkness is covering the world. Many of God’s people
are in danger of being ensnared by worldliness and covetousness. They
should understand that it is His mercy that multiplies the demands for
their means. Objects that call benevolence into action must be placed
before them, or they cannot pattern after the character of the great
Exemplar.
In commissioning His disciples to go “into all the world, and
preach the gospel to every creature,” Christ assigned to men the work
of extending the knowledge of His grace. But while some go forth
to preach, He calls upon others to answer His claims upon them for
offerings with which to support His cause in the earth. He has placed
means in the hands of men, that His divine gifts may flow through
human channels in doing the work appointed us in saving our fellow
men. This is one of God’s ways of exalting man. It is just the work
that man needs, for it will stir the deepest sympathies of his heart and
call into exercise the highest capabilities of the mind
494
9T 254, 255
351