Little Services
2. When they are the best a man can render.
3. When they are truly rendered to Him. The giving of the cup of cold water, you observe, acquired its character of moral worth from its being given “in the name of a disciple”-given for Christ’s sake. It is possible to work in the kingdom of Jesus Christ, and not serve Christ at all. A soldier may go out in his country’s wars, and make for himself, by his courage and success, an imperishable name, and yet never really serve his country or his king, but only himself; his one impulse throughout may be not loyalty, not patriotism, but the desire of fame, the desire of power, a motive which never takes the man out of himself. (A Hannay.)
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"St. Martin, before he was baptized into the faith of Christ, and while still a soldier, showed a rare instance of love and charity. In the depth of winter, a beggar, clothed in rags, asked an alms of him for the love of God. Silver and gold he had none. His soldier’s cloak was all he had to give. He drew his sword, cut it in half, gave one portion to the poor man, and was content himself with the other. And of him it may be truly said, “He had his reward.” That night, in a vision, he beheld our blessed Lord upon His throne, and all the host of heaven standing on His right; hand and His left. And as Martin looked more steadfastly on the Son of God, he saw Him to be arrayed in his own half-cloak; and he heard Him say, “This hath Martin, unbaptized, given to Me.” (Biblical Illustrator)
As to the closing paragraph, may we not illustrate it thus? When the widow who sustained Elijah at Zarephath entered Paradise, she found herself standing amid the great prophets of Israel. When she asked the attendant angel whether there was not some mistake, he replied, “Certainly not. In treating the prophet as you did, you proved yourself to be of the same spirit and temper as he; and it is but right that you should share in the prophet’s reward.” (F.B. Meyer)
In everything you do there is an inside and an outside; a part which man may see, and a part which God only can thoroughly see through. That inside is the intent with which we do it. Now in everything we do there may be a whole world of inward life. Give to God, when you wake in the morning, one strong earnest desire that in all the acts, thoughts, deeds of the day you may please Him. Whatever you do, try from time to time to do it as well as you possibly can, to please Him. All is lost which is not in some way done for Him. Some things may be done out of the very habit of desiring to do what He wills. Some things are done expressly to please Him; some things are done with a faint wish to please Him; some with a strong desire; some with a struggle, because the wish to please ourselves interferes; some things easily, because we have long been used to desire in this way to please God, and use, in God’s grace, has made it easy to us. God has given us this Advent, that we may the more think of His second coming, that we may anew prepare to meet Him. How shall we prepare? Not with great things, but by preparing our hearts, through His grace, in all, little or great, to please Him. (E. B. Pusey)