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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, October 15, 1867

FromThe Advent Review & Sabbath Herald, Vol. XXX, No. 18

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“I HAVE PLACED YOU.”

THERE is often much comfortable suggestion in a single phrase, or word of inspired Scripture. Jesus said to his disciples in the hour of deepest grief and anxiety, John xv, 16, “I have chosen you and placed you.” Our version renders it, “I have ordained you.” But the original is simply, “I have placed you.” The place you occupy, then, is his appointment, his choice. We may not like it. It may be a low place, a narrow place. The work it requires may not afford much scope for energy, or excitement to activity, or opportunity for distinction; it may not even be so directly spiritual, or have so proximate a relation as we could wish to the advancement of the cause of God. But if Christ by his resistless providence has allotted it to us, we had better be contented with it, and make the best of it.
One of the titles of Christ is “The Captain of Salvation.” No captain will permit a soldier to quit his place in the ranks because he thinks it below his merit, because it does not give him a good chance to show his courage, or to win distinction in the war. Whether he is placed in front or rear, in the forlorn hope, or among “the reserves;” whether he is attached to a scouting party, or ordered to cover a retreat, or guard the baggage, his part is bravely, watchfully, skillfully, cheerfully to keep the place and do the duty assigned him. No act of disobedience would be more flagrant than to forsake it without orders for one more conspicuous. Even to murmur, or to “sulk,” because of the inactivity or obscurity to which he was consigned, would be regarded as disloyal, and expose him to rebuke, perhaps to degradation.
The Captain of the Lord’s host, the captain of salvation, does not require a less prompt and absolute obedience than human commanders. The most skillful and penetrating officer may be mistaken in his estimate of the capacity and skill of subordinates. Christ cannot be mistaken in us. He made us. He gave us whatever of talent or grace we have. He will not waste a particle of either. He knows “the very niche we are designed to fill,” and if we humbly and observantly yield to his guiding hand, he will drop us into it.
“Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” was a prayer which began a glorious career of usefulness. His own gracious words may calm our disquieting aspirations,—“He that is least among you all, the same shall be great.” The awards of the last day will greatly reverse the present order of things, and disappoint alike the sky-aspiring thoughts of one class, and the lowly self-deprecation of another. There is solemnity with which our Lord makes this declaration: “Behold! there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.”—Tract Journal.