“O the bitter shame and sorrow
That a time could ever be,
When I let the Saviour’s pity
Plead in vain, and proudly answered,
‘All of self, and none of Thee.’
“Yet He found me; I beheld Him
Bleeding on the accursed tree;
Heard Him pray, ‘Forgive them, Father!’
And my wistful heart said faintly,
‘Some of self, and some of Thee.’
“Day by day His tender mercy,
Healing, helping, full and free,
Sweet and strong, and, ah! So patient,
Brought me lower, while I whispered,
‘Less of self, and more of Thee.’
“Higher than the highest heavens,
Deeper than the deepest sea,
Lord, Thy love at last hath conquered;
Grant me now my soul’s desire,
‘None of self, and all of Thee.’”
The Christian’s first duty is to honour His Master. He must be willing to sink himself out of sight in order that the name of Christ may be magnified. It is not always possible to honour Christ and yet to honour ourselves before men. Sometimes the wreath on our own brow must fade if we would keep the wreath for Christ beautiful and green. Sometimes we must decrease that Christ may increase. Sometimes we must be willing to fall into the shadow, that the full light may be cast upon His face. Sometimes we must be ready to suffer loss that the cause of Christ may be advanced. But all this seeming decrease, if we are true at heart to our Master, is only seeming. The honour on our brow is never so bright as when we have willingly stripped off the stars from ourselves to bind them on the brow of Jesus.
It is easy to mar the beauty. We have all seen people chafing and envying when position and influence once theirs passed to others. There is no severer test of character than comes in such experiences as this. It is not easy, when others achieve promotions that we had hoped to win, for us to keep our spirits gentle, generous, and sweet. It is not easy, even in school, to have another win the prize that we sought and hoped to take, and then not to feel envious of him, but to treat him with true affection, joining his fellows in sincere honouring of him. It is not easy in the home, for a plain, unattractive child to see a bright, popular, brilliant sister idolized and petted, receiving universal praise, while she, the plain, homely one, is neglected and let without attention — it is not easy for the plain girl to see this and yet keep loyal affection in her heart and join cheerfully and proudly in the honouring of the favorite. It is always hard to decrease while another increases, especially if it be at our own cost.
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