Look on the Bright Side.
By D. T. Bourdeau
SOME are too liable to look on the dark side of questions. If there is an objectionable feature they are sure to see it, and where there is no objectionable feature, they often see objections, and are in danger of overlooking the clear evidences of truth, and blessings that lie across their pathway, and that surround them on every hand. To cherish such a turn of mind tends to unbelief, leads to ingratitude, and to murmur against God. How many blessings we have for which we should be grateful! Why not enjoy present blessings as we pass along? It is on this point that the Israelites failed in the wilderness. They never came to a point where they were really suffering for want of food or clothing. They had abundance of evidence that God was with them and would care for them. They had witnessed his miraculous power, and subsisted on the bread of Heaven; yet they were in constant fear that they would come to want. How sinful this was! This was making Him a liar who had said “I will never leave thee, not forsake thee.” But are we not in danger of committing the same sin? Those who are in comfortable circumstances in point of means, but do not give of their wealth to sustain the cause for fear they may not be able to pay their debts, and that they may come to want some time, are fearfully guilty of this sin, and deprive themselves of the blessings connected with giving. The preacher who suffers reverses to make him overlook past success, and the favor of God which he so often enjoys in preaching the word and the value of even a few souls saved as the result of his labors, etc., is guilty of the same sin. When all Asia had turned away from Paul, did he weep because he had previously rejoiced in his success? The bee gathers honey by the side of the most nauseous substances; and earth would be a heaven did we enjoy and appreciate the numberless and priceless favors of our merciful Heavenly Father. D. T. BOURDEAU.