THE KING’S BUSINESS
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of and confessing his own need of a helper. “Then' shall he have rejoicing in himself.” It is the lowly not the haughty mind that has rejoicing in itself and sympathy for others; the Valley of Humiliation is full of sweetest and simplest song—it is good to be there. 3. Responsibility. There is a paradox here': (v. 5) “every man shall bear his own burden,” and (v. 2) “bear ye one another's burden.” The harmony,is obvious. In part: There is a burden of individual respon sibility that every man must bear which can be discharged only by helping to bear the other man’s burden. That man staggering under more than he can carry—thé excess is yours or mine who refuse to put a shoul der under it with him. But we shall not escape—there is a burden of accountability that shall be for shirking the burden that should be—and the weight will be more for the wait (v. 8) as the harvest out-bulks the sowing (Hos. 8:7). IV. , H arvesting . 1. I t ’ s C ertainty . It is coming, "Be not deceived.” I-n the Arroyo Seco I saw an immense rock, it was burst asunder, cracked and crumbling. Years ago a tiny seed had fallen in a flaw it has become an arboreal giant—the seed was lost, vanished— but no, " God is not mocked.”' The Greek verb means “to turn up the nose at.” You may turn up your nose at God, mock at the idea of retribution, but that nose will some day get between His thumb and finger. 2. Retribution. “After its kind” (Gen. 1:11) : "Whatsoever a man soweth that . . . reap." That is, he can’t sow thistles and reap wheat, but, more, that he can’t sow thistles and not reap thistles—everything after its quality, but not its quantity ; what is sown by the handful is reaped by the bushel. He that sows mercy shall reap mercy; and he that sows to self, shall want a helper. If one will not help his brother out of the pit,-who shall help him out of the bottomless pit? “To the fiesh . . . flesh . . . to the!'Spirit . . . of the Spirit.” The harvest of the flesh is “cor-
ation is possible, probable, usual; but read on (v. 9), “In the spirit of meekness.” No prosecuting attorney is wanted, no Pharisee; no “I am holier than thou” spirit can reach the case; not the lash, but the lure wins back. One must stoop to lift. “Lest thou also be t e m p t e d The man who fears to fall will find the firmer footing to lift his fallen fellow. Go into the ditch to him lest you fall into' it; with him. “Bear ye one another’s burdens.” Sym pathize with his infirmities; pity his plight; relieve his physical, material and spiritual necessities—consequences, indeed, of his “fault,” never mind that—“What did he do?” Nay, but what will you do?. Be his nurse in sickness and his purse in poverty; balm his conscience with the grace of the gospel; cheer his despair with a promise; and help him carry his burden to the mercy seat by laying 'hold with .him in prayer. “And- so fulfill the law of Christ” (John 14:34; James 2:18; Luke 10:30-37). ill. H umility . 1. . Self Conceit. Here is where something equals nothing! “If a man think himself to be something . .. . nothing”-—Vanity means empty, nothingness. “Deceiveth him self.” He deceives nobody else; nothing is easier Seen through than nothing. The con ceited brother(?) will think himself just the man to help. He is the last man to do it. The man that is down will grip only to something —the real thing. . Send the man who thinks he is nothing (2 Cor. 12:10; Matt. 11:29; John 15:5), one who can say, “But for the grace of God, my brother, 1 should have been where you are” ; and, “By the grace of" God you can get back where I am.” . , 2. Self ludgment. The cure of self con ceit is self judgment. “Let every man prove his own work.” The work proves the work man ; approved workmen test thfeir out-put; and so see themselves “as others see” them. The Christian workman will always find humbling flaws in his own work and be charitable to the faults of others and not chary of the helping-hand because conscious
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