WOMEN'S WORK AND HEAVENLY BEAUTY
WOMEN’S WORK AND HEAVENLY BEAUTY
As to your new work, the class of women, if you confine it to the poor and ignorant, it may be useful. I believe the place of power for a woman is with the individual. I do not think she is intended to lead or guide a company. I believe women are the best visitors, and they are very helpful to individuals. The Lord will direct you. I have no doubt that where there is the simple desire to help souls, the desire will be granted, and the blessing you seek for others will be abundantly granted to yourself. I look to Him to keep you in the sense of His present favour. I think in these difficult days each step must be well considered before the Lord.
[p. 27] It is a great cheer to me to see a home descriptive of the heavenly Man, the Lord Jesus Christ. Some one speaking to me lately was saying how nice and attractive some Christians are, though they are not on the heavenly line, sometimes more so than those who are really set for it. Now I think I can explain this. The former study to suit man and to commend themselves to man’s judgment. The latter study Christ more. I daresay many would consider Martha a very estimable woman, kindness and consideration personified, while they would regard Mary as reserved, absorbed and exclusive; but she was the real servant after all.
It is a day when you must have heavenly beauty or you will be carried away by earthly — Babylonish beauty. Babylon is the present rival. If a saint be diverted from the heavenly it is by something earthly, and the more naturally beautiful it is, the more ensnaring. The effort of the enemy is to divert from the unseen and the heavenly, by occupying you with the visible which is in itself beautiful. The argument is that there is no harm in it, but however harmless in a natural point of view it diverts you from the heavenly, and that is harm indeed.
I do trust and desire that dear ————’s trial in his business may be a great gain to him. The highest order of discipline is to help us. Trial of circumstances is less trial than that of health or bereavement. May the Lord explain it all fully to him.
The Lord bless you much. You must rise to Christ in heaven (Ephesians 3: 16) before you can descend with heavenly ability to act for Him here.