Man’s Ways Versus God’s Ways by S. Brownsberger

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Nov 5, 1914

Man’s Ways Versus God’s Ways

By S. Brownsberger

S. BROWNSBERGER

The poet has declared, “God moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform.” This statement is in harmony with Isaiah’s declaration: “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.” What is not in accordance with man’s way of thinking and reasoning is called mysterious by him. This unlikeness of God’s ways of doing things to man’s ways has been a stumblingstone to man in all generations, both within and without the church. The counsel of the Pharisee Gamaliel, after he had been an eyewitness of many mysterious things that had taken place in Jerusalem during the few weeks previous (see Acts 5:38), showed plainly that he was beginning to take note of God’s ways, and to the same degree cast doubts upon his own ways.

The rise and progress of every distinct work that God has carried forward for the uplifting of mankind has been vastly different from the way that man would have planned the work to accomplish the same ends. With few exceptions, the leading feature, and always the disappointing one in the initiative steps of a great work of God, is its apparently insignificant, weak, and lowly origin; it comes in the very way and under conditions and circumstances that men naturally despise. The only satisfactory reason we can assign for this is that it is the best and wisest way.

If kings in finances and men of great intellect had felt the burden of sending the third angel’s message to the world, they, like Mr. Rockefeller and Mr. Carnegie, would have poured their ready millions into the lap of boards and committees to employ the best talent in the world to carry the message with the customary pomp and splendor.

In contrast with this picture, we see a man with neither education nor fortune writing a humble tract on the claims of the Bible Sabbath while he is in possession of not so much as a penny with which to pay for its publication. Witness also Elder James White working in the harvest field or cutting cordwood to earn sufficient money to pay his fare to meet his next appointments.

The pioneers in this message have noted a gradual change from this original simplicity and poverty as the numbers, means, and workers have greatly multiplied and the work has been extended. It would be natural to expect from the history of God’s people in all generations of the past, that man’s pomp and splendor would be largely substituted for God’s simplicity as fast as conditions would render it possible. Do we not all recognize the repetition of this departure from God’s ways to an alarming degree in our day?

There is but one remedy, and that is the one prescribed by the Great Physician, who can perfectly diagnose our cases: “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

“The purification of the people of God cannot be accomplished without their suffering. He passes us from one fire to another, testing our true worth. If we cannot bear these trials, what shall we do in the time of trouble? If prosperity or adversity discover falseness, pride, or selfishness in our hearts, what shall we do when God tries every man’s work as by fire?”—“Testimonies for the Church,” Vol. IV, page 85.

Fletcher, N. C.