WOMAN'S SERVICE

WOMAN’S SERVICE

Each believer has been sent by the Lord into this world on some mission. He said at the beginning (a sure time to turn to for guidance), “As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you” (John 20: 21). Before you can enter on your mission, you must be assured of Christ’s work for you; you must, like the disciples in the passage I have quoted, first have in a known way received of His life, having practically entered into the meaning of the passage, “The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8: 2). If you are not in life and peace, you cannot enter on your mission. The mission (so to speak) to yourself has not been assured, and this must be accomplished in you, before you are fit or qualified to serve another.

The history of a bird is the history of a believer. First in the nest, served by parents; then when fledged, learning to do for others what has been done for oneself. First served, and then, in the power and enjoyment of it, serving. There can be no question that it is the duty and calling of each to serve in some way. But it may not be so easy to find out your specific and proper duty or mission and this is often the excuse for doing nothing, or something worse than nothing. I do not believe it would be found to be so difficult if you were really fit in heart to enter on service. I believe you would find out your mission if you simply occupied yourself with whatever came to your hand for the Lord. It might begin by carrying food to a sick child, or making a dress for a poor one, or reading to an old saint. There is a serving of one’s time; that is, you will not be entrusted with very great works until you have proved your competency in small ones. It is impossible but that a star must shine, and it is equally so, but that if your eye were single, your whole body would be full of light. The cause of idleness, or ignorance of one’s mission is, either that one is not fit for ^[p. 390] it, or not free and humble in heart enough to begin at the little works appointed for one to do. It is an universal principle, “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much” (Luke 16: 10).