Qualifications for Successful Christian Service
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character a stain not easily removed, and places a serious obstacle in
the way of his future usefulness.—
Prophets and Kings, 659
.
“Take My yoke upon you,” Jesus says. The yoke is an instrument
of service. Cattle are yoked for labor, and the yoke is essential that
they may labor effectually. By this illustration, Christ teaches us that
we are called to service as long as life shall last. We are to take upon
us His yoke, that we may be coworkers with Him.—
The Desire of
Ages, 329
.
Sympathy and Sociability
In every department of the cause of God, there is need of men
and women who have sympathy for the woes of humanity; but such
sympathy is rare.—
The Review and Herald, May 6, 1890
.
We need more of Christlike sympathy; not merely sympathy for
those who appear to us to be faultless, but sympathy for poor, suf-
fering, struggling souls, who are often overtaken in fault, sinning
and repenting, tempted and discouraged. We are to go to our fellow
men, touched, like our merciful High Priest, with the feeling of their
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infirmities.—
Gospel Workers, 141
.
As a people we lose much by lack of sympathy and sociability with
one another. He who talks of independence and shuts himself up to
himself, is not filling the position that God designed he should. We are
children of God, mutually dependent upon one another for happiness.
The claims of God and of humanity are upon us. We must all act our
part in this life. It is the proper cultivation of the social elements of
our nature that brings us into sympathy with our brethren, and affords
us happiness in our efforts to bless others.—
Testimonies 4:71, 72
.
The Saviour was a guest at the feast of a Pharisee. He accepted
invitations from the rich as well as the poor, and, according to His
custom, He linked the scene before Him with His lessons of truth.—
Christ’s Object Lessons, 219
.
Simplicity
When Christ said to the disciples, Go forth in My name to gather
into the church all who believe, He plainly set before them the necessity
of maintaining simplicity. The less ostentation and show, the greater