Common Deeds as Well as Miracles
In all of Christ’s life there were a few miracles showing divine power; there were countless revealings of kindness, gentleness, sympathy, thoughtfulness, encouragement, mere common kindnesses, which were as full of God as were His miracles. This must be as true of His followers as of the Master. One may be a true witness for Christ and yet not be a worker of miracles. Or to bring it into the language of our own time, one may not do great or conspicuous things, and yet may do blessed service for the Master and for men. Many people are hero-worshipers. They admire and magnify the work done by the miracle-workers. The popular preacher wins by his eloquence, and everybody praises him. Crowds flock to hear him. Meanwhile, scores of commonplace preachers toil away in obscurity, not drawing crowds, not winning commendation, never mentioned in the newspapers. Yet they go about seven days in the week giving out their lives in all manner of kindly service to men. Their lives are full of self-denials. They carry benedictions into people’s homes. They pray beside sick-beds and they comfort mourners. They carry their people in their hearts, and are friends to the needy, the poor, the children. They are not eloquent, and no one praises them publicly, yet they may be ten times the blessing in the world that the brilliant orators are. They do no miracles, but they are Christ’s beloved servants, messengers of His love to the world.— Sunday School Times.