p. 252 | PRAISING OURSELVES by John Nevins Andrews

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 24, 1868

PRAISING OURSELVES.

By John Nevins Andrews

Paul, under the pressure of urgent necessity, spoke at considerable length in his own praise. If any had whereof to glory, surely he had far more. Yet no sooner had he in modest language recounted the greatness of his labors, and his sufferings, than he exclaims, “I am become a fool in glorying.” 2 Cor. xi, 16–33; xii, 1–12.

Paul hid behind Christ. He preached Christ; he did not preach himself. He gloried not in himself, but in the cross of Christ, whereby he was crucified to

the world, and the world to him. 1 Cor. ii; 2 Cor. iv, 5; Gal. vi, 14. Certainly it illy becomes us to make self our theme; or to make our own glory the object of our solicitude.

There is better business for us. Let it be our business to have our work wrought in God. No matter how secret our acts of self-denial, or cross-bearing, if indeed they really be such. The angel of God, though unseen by us, is ever present, and he is making a faithful record of all our conduct, that it may be examined and made public at the last day. “Then shall every man [who deserves it] have praise of God.” 1 Cor. iv, 5. Can we not afford to wait till then? “The good works of some are manifest beforehand; [i. e. before the great day] and they that are otherwise cannot be hid;” i. e. they, whose good works are, up to that time, known only to God, shall then find them proclaimed before all mankind. 1 Tim. v, 25. Let us forever cease seeking glory one of another. Let us, in place of this, bestow our utmost care upon our conduct, that it may bear the inspection and meet the approval of the Judge of all the earth.

J. N. A.