The Assimilative Self
An ugly spider can suck nothing but poison out of a rose, and ruin both the flower and the sap, while a little bee sucks nothing but honey out of it, and leaves the rose uninjured. As to what we get out of others depends a good deal on ourselves: we can usually find what we look for.
Faith
A poor old Indian stepped into a Western military camp to ask for something to eat. There was found suspended from his neck a locket, in which was a piece of paper containing his honorable discharge from the Federal army entitling him to a pension, signed by George Washington. He might have asked the Government and been supplied with the needs of life. For many coveted blessings we only need faith to ask, seek, knock.
Transforming Grace
A lady showed Mr. Ruskin one day a beautiful and costly handkerchief on which a careless hand had dropped some ink. The lady said that it was now of no use. Mr. Ruskin put it in his pocket and carried it away. In a few days he brought it back to her, having on it a beautiful picture in India ink, with the blot as its basis. In the same way God often transforms our mistakes and life blots into adornments of character.
Seeing Opportunities
The story is told of a guard at a government war plant stopping a man who was pushing a wheelbarrow of straw out. He searched the wheelbarrow and questioned the man saying, “I know everything is not right but I can’t find out what you are doing. So go on.” The next day the man reappeared with a wheelbarrow of straw. Again, the guard searched and said, “I believe you are stealing something but for the life of me I can’t determine what. I will make a gentleman’s agreement with you. Tell me what you are stealing and I will let you go.” The suspect answered, “Wheelbarrows.” So often we overlook the wheelbarrows which are before us. Opportunities for serving God are in abundance all around us but so nearsighted are we that we fail to perceive their presence. Let us open our eyes to the wheelbarrows!
Onward Rejoicing, John B. Daniels, Associate Minister
