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Changes Our Defiance to Submission, April 20
Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for
they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they
may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for
you.
Hebrews 13:17
.
There are some young men and women who have no method in doing
their work. Though they are always busy, they can present but little results.
They have erroneous ideas of work, and think that they are working hard,
when if they had practised method in their work, and applied themselves
intelligently to what they had to do, they would have accomplished much
more in a shorter time. By dallying over the less important matters, they
find themselves hurried, perplexed, and confused when they are called
upon to do those duties that are more essential.... Under circumstances
like these, where young men and women are making such mistakes in
their life discipline, it would be sinful not to speak words of advice and
counsel.
It is an extremely delicate thing to tell people of their faults. The
reprover is likely to find that in those reproved, pride and stubbornness
assert themselves, and the will is arrayed in defiance and opposition. But
for all this, advice should be given, and faults should be laid bare. Let the
young cultivate a teachable spirit, that they may be benefited by the efforts
of those who seek to help them....
It may seem that we are to study our own hearts, and square our own
actions by some standard of our own; but this is not the case. This would
but work deform instead of reform. The work must begin in the heart,
and then the spirit, the words, the expression of the countenance, and the
actions of the life, will make manifest that a change has taken place. In
knowing Christ through the grace that He has shed forth abundantly, we
become changed.... In humility we shall correct every fault and defect of
character; because Christ is abiding in the heart, we shall be fitted up for
the heavenly family above
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The Youth’s Instructor, August 31, 1893
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