When to Work by Nancy D. Underhill

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Mar 7, 1907

When to Work

By Nancy D. Underhill

NANCY D. UNDERHILL

LET us who have been called to work in our Lord's vineyard consider whether we are called to labor now, or at some indefinite time in the future. Did he not say, “Go work to-day in my vineyard”? When he called us to become adopted children in his family, did he say, To-morrow is the accepted time, or next week, or next year? Souls are dying every day. Are we trying now to save them, or waiting for a more convenient season?

Some have entered the field as canvassers. It is cold this winter, and the roads are sometimes a little rough or a little sticky. Can't very conveniently go when the days are so short? Some are listening to a smooth, soft voice which says, “Better stay in the house

where it is warm, this winter, it's so much more comfortable indoors. Then it may be that you can study a great deal, and be all the better fitted to take up the work next spring.”

Maybe the voice comes from one who is a dear, kind friend (?), one in whose presence you take so much comfort. Maybe the voice comes to you through a member of the church—even a preacher, maybe. But listen! Is it ever the Lord's voice that calls to procrastination, self-indulgence, ease, and pleasure?

Of course you can study much this winter, but you can not study all the time. Every muscle of the body must have some exercise, or you will die of inertia. The servants of our Saviour ought not to waste the precious time of opportunity in idleness or play when God's dear children are starving for the bread of life, which he has entrusted to us to carry to them. Next spring may be too late. That soul whom we could have helped may be dead ere then.

Now, during the long evenings of winter and the sometimes inclement weather, is the very time when people have leisure to read. If a new book were brought to them now, how gladly would they peruse its pages! and some would thus find the way of life. But next spring, when the ground must be prepared, the seed sown, and the soil cultivated; when the evenings are short, and the toilers weary from their hard work, they will not find time to read. They will not care so much to buy your book then. Even if a few do buy, they will probably lay it aside until they have leisure, and will forget all about it. Meanwhile, time is not waiting. How rapidly it is passing! So, if we wait till by and by to do the work which should be done to-day, by and by the King will return when we are not expecting him, and then what excuse can we offer for having neglected the opportunities which he gave, for having despised his trust, and buried his talent in the grave of indifference. Let us not wait till a more convenient season. Work now.

Why not study a portion of each day, and work a part of every day? We can not expect to obtain all the knowledge before we begin to use any of it. That would be like hoarding up our riches, trying to get enough ahead to feed a whole famine-stricken nation, instead of using our means as we obtain them. While we are trying to get the wealth of the world in our clutches, our near neighbor whom we could have helped, would die of starvation, and we would never be any better fitted to feed the nation than we were at first. As soon as we have a loaf of bread, we are able to help our starving brother. As soon as we have the knowledge of one blessed truth, we are qualified to share that knowledge with some soul who has it not. As we go on teaching or spreading the knowledge that we have, we shall obtain more. “There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.” Work for Jesus now. Give to his service your time and talent, while you may.

Collbran, Colo.