p. 8 | Servants in Disguise by C. M. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 14, 1911

Servants in Disguise

By C. M. S.

SERVANTS in disguise we all have. We are very prone not to recognize them as servants at all. The great question for us is whether or not we will allow them to accomplish for us what they were appointed to accomplish; in other words, whether we will permit God’s purpose in giving them to us to be wrought out in us.

Paul tells us in 2 Cor. 4:17 who these servants are, and what they are doing for us. He says: “Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us.” We too often read right on to the conclusion of the verse, overlooking the fact that these things are our servants, and are working for us; that they are working for us to an end; and that that end can be frustrated by us in our neglecting to see, or refusing to see, or being unable of ourselves to see, that they are our servants. When the affliction comes, we are prone to look upon it as a hardship, and we ourselves as subjects for sympathy; but that very thing which we seem to think against us and our interests, will work for us if we will only let it work. God has sent it. Look upon it as a godsend, and it will prove to be one. Look upon it as a calamity, and we have given Satan vantage-ground, and made it easy for him to triumph over us, to accomplish his purpose concerning us.

The trial that comes is designed to perfect us, to polish us, so that we may shine as a beautiful stone in the heavenly temple. It comes as a fire to burn the dross out of our character, so that we may stand perfect before him. It comes as the fuller’s soap to remove impurities from the delicate fabric of our soul, so that we may be “without spot.” It comes as the ironer to smooth out the character so that it may be “without wrinkle.” If we refuse to look upon it as our servant working for us, then that part of our character which this was designed to strengthen or beautify, remains weak and unlovely. The stone remains unpolished; the dross still pollutes the metal; the impurities remain in the fabric; the wrinkles will stand out in all their ugliness.

But what do these afflictions accomplish for us? “Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” Men sometimes look upon their best friends as their worst enemies; but we have been looking upon our servants as our oppressors. They would have worked for our eternal glory; but we have allowed self to stand between us and their service for us; have allowed Satan to rob us of that “far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” which “our light affliction” was designed to bring into our possession. Let us allow them to accomplish God’s purpose in us; allow them to work for us in the purifying and refining and strengthening process which will make it possible for us to be sharers in that inheritance which is incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away. Our light afflictions,— they are our servants. Let us recognize them, and work with them, and permit them to work with us, that the glories of the eternal may be ours. C. M. S.