Every Christian’s Work by Ellen G. White

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 21, 1916

Every Christian’s Work

By Ellen G. White

(Concluded) *

MRS. E. G. WHITE

(From the REVIEW of Feb. 28, 1893)

Those who would work for the Master may come to him in full assurance of faith; and with meekness and lowliness of spirit, they may enter upon the work that lies directly in their pathway. Do not pass by the little things, and look for a large work. You might do successfully the small work, but fail utterly in attempting a large work, and fall into discouragement. Take hold wherever you see that there is work to be done. Whether you are rich or poor, great or humble, God calls you into active service for him. It will be by doing with your might what your hands find to do, that you will develop talents and aptitude for the work, and it is by neglecting your daily opportunities that you become fruitless and withered.

This is why there are so many fruitless trees in the garden of the Lord. God has given light, and that light is to shine forth to others in good works. It is by communicating light to others that heartfelt pity is cultivated. In this way you manifest to the world the excellency of the power of the grace of God. Every believer is called of God for this very purpose. He is to do his best toward illuminating others by giving his talents of time, influence, ability, and money to the service of God, that the truth may be set before those who are in darkness. The truth must be brought home personally to the hearts of men.

All heaven is in activity, and the angels of God are waiting to coöperate with the human agent who will devise plans whereby souls for whom Christ died may hear the glad tidings of salvation.

Every soul has an influence for good or evil. If the soul is sanctified to the service of God and devoted to the work of Christ, the influence will be to gather with Christ. God depends upon the church for the forwarding of his work, and he expects that his professed followers will do their duty as intelligent beings. There is great need that every trained mind, every disciplined intellect, every jot of ability, shall be brought to the work of saving souls. There will be no idler, no slothful one who neglects the work of the Lord, found inside of the kingdom of heaven.

God has given the light of truth to his church, and the remedy for sin must be presented to the sin-sick world, whose inhabitants are perishing in their iniquity and ignorance. God expects his church to discipline and fit its members for the work of enlightening the world. But let no one feel that because he is not educated, he cannot be expected to take part in the work. God has a work for you to do. He has given to every man his work.

You can search the Scriptures for yourself. “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” The prayer of the sincere heart, offered in faith, will be heard in heaven. It may not be grammatical; but if the heart is in it, it will ascend to the sanctuary where Jesus ministers, and he will present it to the Father with the fragrant incense of his own perfection, without one awkward, stammering word, graceful and perfect through his merit; for his righteousness refines and ennobles it, and makes it acceptable before the Father. The Lord accepts the prayer of the sincere heart, and will answer it out of his abundant fulness.

Fervent piety, sincerity of heart, contrition of soul, are grateful to God. Sincerity is the essential necessity of prayer. This with uncouth language and imperfect utterance is far more acceptable to God if it is the best that the suppliant can offer, than the perfectly worded, elegantly uttered prayer that is offered from a self-sufficient, self-important, pharisaical heart.

Though ignorant and humble, if your heart overflows with love to God, and if in this spirit you appeal to one who is out of Christ, the Lord will not despise your effort. Your small offering, presented with cheerful gratitude to God, will be classed with the widow’s mite, and be blessed of God. The effort to do your duty to the best of your ability, from the motive of love, will be noticed of Heaven. God does not make light of the small ability he has intrusted, but expects that it will be put out to usury, as well as the larger talents.

Those to whom large capabilities have been intrusted will have to bear large responsibilities, but those whom God has intrusted with but few talents, one or two, and placed in a humble sphere, need not repine because of their meager ability. Let them trade diligently with the talents intrusted, and prove their fidelity to God by a faithful use of his gifts, and their loyalty will be manifested, and the Lord will be satisfied.

The church is composed of large and small vessels; but the Lord does not expect that the small vessels will contain what the larger vessels will contain. He does not expect that the lowly, unlearned Christian will exercise all the intellectual power of him who has had advantages and privileges whereby his talents could be improved and his ability increased. He does not expect of the poor the alms they have not to give, nor from the sick and suffering the active energies which their infirmities forbid. But God has given to every man his work, and there is need of devoted, earnest, humble workers in all parts of the wide harvest field.