| Things to Live For |
Chapter 2 |
Page 3 |
Gravely responsible is the work of a Christian minister. Whenever he speaks to people, he is laying materials on the walls of God’s temple. He must do work worthy of God’s honor. If he has only wood, hay, and stubble to bring, he would better never enter the pulpit. The same is true of the Sunday school teacher. He also is at work on God’s building. If he has only the trifles of weekday topics, bits of gossip, airy nothings, to give to his class, what that is worth while is he putting into the pupils’ lives?
The lesson applies to parents. They get the young life from God when as yet nothing has been built into it. What do they bring to put into the character they are helping to build? What are the influences of their home? What songs are sung beside the child’s cradle? What lessons are taught at a time when every lesson becomes a permanent part of the life? What books are put into the young hands when every sentence makes an indelible mark on the soul?
But the teaching is for us all; for we are all builders on the life walls of others. What opportunities for edifying each other we all have in our conversations, as we sit together or walk by the way! Words are wonderful things. They may become adornments in the life of him to whom they are spoken; they may give happiness, courage, comfort, or impulse. There have been single words which have changed destinies. Then there are also words which are only rubbish, – wood, hay, and stubble. Too much of the common conversation of the street, the parlor, the table, is poor building material to put into human lives. Too much of it is only idle words. Too much is criticism of the absent, hurtful gossip about people. Too much of it is wrangling and bitterness.
We may think, too, of what we are building and allowing to be built on the walls of our own character. What are our companionships? Companionships make us. Everyone who takes a half mile walk with us, or talks with us ten minutes, lays something on the wall of our life. The books we read do their part in our character building. Our thoughts also have their important place among the builders. As we think, so we grow. Trifling thoughts, – a flippant, shallow life. Sad thoughts, – a somber character. Reverent thoughts, – a life on which rests the hallowed marks of divinity. Not only do they go into the walls of our own life, but when they are uttered they go out into the world and build themselves into the character of others, becoming impulses, inspirations, in people’s hearts.
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