THE KING’S BUSINESS
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It is not what we take up, but give up, , that makes us rich.—Beecher. The prin ciple is—surrender what hinders entire fol lowing o f Jesus; the application o f his broad requirement, “ if thine eye cause thee to stumble, pluck it out”—Maclaren. The ruler knew not how much he loved himself and his easy life.—The Socialist would justify by this verse a universal con fiscation, but he forgets that the spirit which seizes all is different from that which gives all freely.—Chadwick. Take cross and follow .—How soon would faith freeze without a cross.—Rutherford. If Jesus bore the cross and died on it for me, ought I not to be willing to take it up for him ?—Moody. f p HIS young man who came running to *■ Jesus was an exceptionally fine fellow. W e have this kind o f young man today. H e comes o f a highly respected family with large income; he is a college man with fine mind and genial manners; he is honest, upright, with no bad habits, and holds a responsible position. He shares his good home, auto and pleasures with his friends. He is good to his parents. He has grown up in the church and Sunday School, but has never openly made profession of Christ. Everybody likes him. Parents point to him as an ideal young man and welcome him for a friend o f their sons or daugh ters. He apparently had everything for which any young man could wish. But when alone, he realized that there was a great vacuum in his life which good home, good times, money, position or friends could not fill. Many young folks think, “ Oh, if I only had what this young man had I would be happy.” But they wouldn’t. God has created each o f us with this void which cannot be satisfied with the things o f earth so that He may fill it with Himself. The young man began to ask himself:
v. 23-27. Riches. Few men are both rich and generous; fewer are rich and humble before God.—Manning. . Worldly wealth is the devil’s bait.—Burton. Riches may be taken into possession, but not into affections.—Charron. I f thou art rich, thou art poor, for like an ass whose back with ignots bows, thou bearest thy heavy riches but a journey and death unloads thee.—Shakespeare. Riches are the pret tiest and least worthy gifts which God can give a man. What are they to God’s W ord? ■^■Luther. Many a poor man is as much caught in the toils o f the love o f money as the rich. They trust in money.—Mac laren. I have temporal things, but have I eternal? He was a wise young man to stop and ask himself these questions instead o f thought lessly drifting on. He also went to the right source, Christ, for' his answer. Friends might have told him' “You are all right; you are living a good, clean, moral life.” But down in his heart he knew that these things were not enough. But the young man made two mistakes. (1) He did not recognize Christ as God, but only as a great teacher. He called Christ good. Christ' replied, “ No man is good, only God is. Therefore, if I am good, I am God.” He looked upon Christ as an advisor, instead o f Christ as God on earth to save us from sin. (2) He had the idea that eternal life could be earned by something which he might do. He did not ask Christ to save him, but to tell him what to do to save himself. I f man can save himself by his upright character and good works, then God lies, for He has said that we are saved by believing that Christ’s blood was shed for our sins. (Rom. 3:25; 1 Peter 2:24; Rev. 1:5). This young man had been doing a great many commendable things. (H ow many
“MY GIRLS”
By Mrs. H. J. Baldwin.
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