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Using Your Talent of Influence, August 17
For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
Romans 14:7
.
There is constant temptation for human beings to consider that any influence
they have gained is the result of something valuable in themselves. The Lord
does not work with these, for He will not give to any human being the glory that
belongs to His own name. God would have everyone under His supervision, and
recognize that to God belongs all the glory of their success....
If the human worker will walk in all humility of mind, looking to God, trusting
in Him, working out his own salvation with fear and trembling, the Lord will
cooperate with him. It is God that works in us to do His will for His own name’s
glory. He will give His wisdom, His divine power, to everyone who is doing His
service. He makes the humble trustful servant His representative—the one who
will not lift himself up, and think of himself more highly than he ought to think.
The life of such an one will be dedicated to God as a living sacrifice, and that life
He will accept and use and sustain....
Our life is not our own. It is Christ’s life. All is His, and we are to spend our
powers in doing the will of God. Watch and pray; spend and be spent in doing His
will from the heart. Carry every entrusted capability as a sacred treasure, to be
used in imparting to others the knowledge and grace received....
Nehemiah, after gaining so great an influence over the [Persian] monarch in
whose court he lived, and over his people in Jerusalem, instead of ascribing praise
to his own excellent traits of character, his remarkable aptness and energy, stated
the manner just as it was. He declared that his success was due to the good hand
of God that was upon him. He cherished the truth that God was his safeguard in
every position of influence. For every trait of character by which he obtained favor,
he praised the working power of God.... And God gave him wisdom, because he
did not exalt himself. The Lord taught him how to use the gifts entrusted to him
to the very best advantage, and under the supervision of God, these talents gained
other talents....
Every jot of influence is to be appreciated as the gift of God. The eye of the
mind is to be single to the glory of God. Then the sense of responsibility will
increase. Our talents will be put out to the exchangers to increase and double.
There are hundreds of men and women who, if they had a proper appreciation
of the heavenly trust, would go diligently and earnestly to work to use what they
have.—
Letter 83, August 17, 1898
, to a leading minister in Australia.
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