p. 141 | Officious People

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Feb 26, 1885

Officious People

Officious people are to be found everywhere; people who are always putting themselves forward, and who are more anxious to attend to other people's business than their own. They like to be prominent, to assume an air of importance, and to make the impression that almost everything depends on them. Real kindness, which is always ready to render needed assistance, is never obtrusive, and is highly commendable; but officiousness, which can hardly be classed among the virtues, manifests a spirit of self-seeking rather than a spirit of real kindness to others, and instead of winning favor with sensible people, always repels. Christ says something about chief seats in the synagogues, and uppermost places at feasts, which officious people would do well to read and ponder.—Sel.