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For our Learning

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 6, 1870

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 36, No. 25.

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“For our Learning.”

By James White

BE CIRCUMSPECT.

“And in all things that I have said unto you, be circumspect.” Ex. 23: 13.
That is to be cautious, vigilant and watchful. One of the greatest errors of this degenerate age, is that which teaches that it is no matter how we treat small things; that they are not essential; that God will not regard such small matters. But for such a statement there is no warrant in his word. We often find in the Bible very particular directions about what we might call small matters; and this shows that God has a regard for them. Every thing is, in a certain sense,small in the sight of an infinite Being, while his infinity is of itself a sufficient evidence that nothing is so small as to escape his notice. The microscope reveals as great wonders as the telescope. He has given as perfect an organization to the animalcule as to the elephant. “Who has despised the day of small things?” says the Lord. This doctrine of indifference to small things is dangerous and destructive. No one great action forms a character; but the continual small actions, the daily habits, these form the character of every one.
Wesley was once requested by a young minister, to furnish him some rules for his work of the ministry. He did so, and one of them was as follows:
“Never leave dirty water in the wash bowl in your room.”
A singular rule to insure success in the gospel! some may exclaim. But Wesley was right. A minister may be learned and eloquent, yet one filthy practice, one slovenly habit, may disgust a household, and destroy all his influence for good. And whatever else a minister may have, his influence is his real capital. And is it not so with all?
Our greatest danger on the subject of influence is this: we are apt to study how to exert a great, rather than a good, influence. A small or limited influence, all on the right side, is much better than a wide-spread influence on the wrong side, or even of a mixed nature. For if our influence be part on one side and part on the other, partly good and partly evil, it is self-subverting, and becomes all evil. A small work in love, is better than a great work with indifference. “In all things, be circumspect,” is the order of the Lord. Who has observed it? J. H. W.