ABC—Spiritual Blueprint
285
following the golden rule, doing unto others as you would wish them
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to do by you.
While engaged in the missionary work, you have at the same time
manifested your scheming propensities in buying and selling. This
makes a poor combination. You should be one thing or the other. “If
the Lord be God, follow Him: but if Baal, then follow him.” “Choose
you this day whom ye will serve.” God will not accept your labors in
the tract and missionary work while you are scheming to advantage
yourself. You are in danger of counting gain as godliness. The tempter
will present flattering inducements before you to fascinate you and
allure you on to indulge a spirit of scheming which will kill your
spirituality.
The world, angels, and men look upon you as a sharper, as a man
who is studying his own interest and securing advantages to himself
without looking carefully and conscientiously after the interest of those
with whom he deals. In your business life there is a vein of dishonesty
that tarnishes the soul and dwarfs religious experience and growth in
grace. You are watching with keen business eye the best chance to
secure a bargain. This scheming propensity has become second nature
with you, and you do not see and realize the evil of encouraging it.
Business which you may engage in fairly and squarely, advantaging
others as well as yourself, would be all right so far as dealing honorably
is concerned; but the Lord would have accepted your service and used
your powers, your keen perceptions, in securing the salvation of souls,
had you been sanctified through the truth. The desire of the eye in
the love of gain has warred against the Spirit. The habits and culture
of years have left their deforming impress upon your character, and
have been disqualifying you for God’s work. You have a constant,
longing desire to traffic. If sanctified to the service of God, this would
make you an earnest, persevering laborer for the Master; but, abused
as it has been, it has endangered your own soul, and others also are
in danger of being lost through your influence.—
Testimonies for the
Church 4:350, 351
.
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