557
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
We need to. be careful th a t we do not become too busy buying meat to win sOuls; Jesus was tired, hungry, and th irsty , b u t w ith all th a t He did "not miss this opportunity for winning a soui. By a brief conversation this woman was con verted from a social outcast to a city missionary, and before night she had brought the whole town out to hear the Master preach. Many of th e Samaritans believed on Him for the testimony of th e woman. “He told me all th a t ever I did,” and numbers of others, believed when they heard Him. The disciples were too busy buying meat to win souls. Perhaps they saw in the evening congregation the very ones they had bought m eat of - at noon. Did you ever have an opportunity to speak to some one during a meeting about accepting Christ and you failed to do it, and a little later you saw th a t same, one at the altar praying through and shouting the Redeemer’s praise? That was your opportunity to win a soul for Jesus, and you let some one else take your crown. We labor so long and hard for the meat th a t perisheth th a t we for get to watch for souls, taking no thought for the bread of life for the lack of which men are perishing everywhere. The joy of leading a soul to Christ is indescribable. One’s own physical needs, however pressing, are forgotten in minis tering to the spiritual needs of another. H ear the Master’s own words after He had won this soul, when His disciples pressed Him to eat: “I have meat th at you know not of. My meat is to do the will of him th a t sent me.” Have we reached th e place where it is our m eat to do the Master’s will? Do we ever become so en grossed in telling others of H is power to save, to sanctify, and to keep, th a t we forget th a t we are tired, or hungry, or sleepy ?—P. L. Smith.
“And they th a t be teachers shall shine a s th e brightness ot the firmament; and they th a t tu rn many to righteousness, as th e stars for ever and ever” (Dan. 12:3). “ He th a t winneth souls is wise” (Prov. 11:30). “No higher honor could he conferred upon the Christian, and no greater privi lege be given the believer in Jesus Christ, th a n to be associated w ith Him in the g reat and blessed work of bringing a lost world to the knowledge of the truth. It Is not possible for every Christian to be a preacher or a teacher in spiritual things, fo r these are spiritual gifts bestowed by th e Holy S p irit'u p o n certain believers, even as it hath pleased Him. But there is no Christian, however humble or in significant Ee may feel himself, or others may esteem him to be, who is not ap pointed by the Holy Spirit to be a winner of souls.” In the fourth chapter of John we have a picture of Jesus as H e sat on the curb a t Jacob’s weH and talked to the Samari ta n woman about her soul’s salvation, while His disciples had gone into the city to buy food. This word picture ought to be an inspiration to those of us who claim to be followers of th e lowly Naza- rene. Few of His public discourses are recorded, but many of His private con versations are preserved, may I say, es pecially for our encouragement. Few of us can preach, fewer still can address large crowds of people, but we can all deal with individuals. We can all talk to men and women, boys and girls about th eir soul’s salvation as we come in con ta c t w ith them from day to day—a t the well, in the m arket place, on the sea shore, or in their homes.
He who sharpens his w it against others is only sharpening th e ir memory against himself.
Made with FlippingBook HTML5