240
      
      
         Christian Service
      
      
        He does not even try to lead it home. In his joy he takes the trembling
      
      
        creature upon his shoulders; if it is bruised and wounded, he gathers it
      
      
        in his arms, pressing it close to his bosom, that the warmth of his own
      
      
        heart may give it life. With gratitude that his search has not been in
      
      
        vain, he bears it back to the fold.—
      
      
        Christ’s Object Lessons, 187, 188
      
      
        .
      
      
        Humility
      
      
        In choosing men and women for His service, God does not ask
      
      
        whether they possess learning or eloquence or worldly wealth. He asks:
      
      
        “Do they walk in such humility that I can teach them My way? Can I
      
      
        put My words into their lips? Will they represent Me?”—
      
      
        Testimonies
      
      
        for the Church 7:144
      
      
        .
      
      
        In trying to help the poor, the despised, the forsaken, do not work
      
      
        for them mounted on the stilts of your dignity and superiority, for in
      
      
        this way you will accomplish nothing.—
      
      
        Testimonies for the Church
      
      
        6:277
      
      
        .
      
      
        That which will make our churches vigorous and successful in their
      
      
        efforts, is not bustle, but quiet, humble work; not parade and bombast,
      
      
        but patient, prayerful, persevering effort.—
      
      
        Testimonies for the Church
      
      
        5:130
      
      
        .
      
      
        The humiliation of defeat often proves a blessing by showing us
      
      
        our inability to do the will of God without His aid.—
      
      
        Patriarchs and
      
      
        Prophets, 633
      
      
        .
      
      
        The talents of the humble cottager are needed in the house-to-
      
      
        house labor, and can accomplish more in this work than brilliant
      
      
        gifts.—
      
      
        Testimonies for the Church 9:37, 38
      
      
        .
      
      
        All heaven is interested in this work that God’s messengers are
      
      
        carrying forward in the world, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
      
      
        This is a great work, brethren and sisters, and we should humble
      
      
        ourselves daily before God, and not feel that our wisdom is perfect.
      
      
        We should take hold of the work with earnestness. We should not pray
      
      
        for God to humble us; for when God takes hold of us, He will humble
      
      
         [247]
      
      
        us in a way that we would not enjoy. But we must day by day humble
      
      
        ourselves under the mighty hand of God. We are to work out our own
      
      
        salvation with fear and with trembling. While it is God that works in
      
      
        us to will and to do of His own good pleasure, we are to co-operate