Opportunities at Home

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Oct 31, 1911

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 38, Nos. 43, 44.

Opportunities at Home

THE gift we should pray for is vision. Missionary work lies all around us. The story is told of a German girl in a large American city who prayed for years that she might be sent to a foreign field as a missionary. One morning, after her usual prayer, it seemed almost as if the Lord were talking to her, and her thoughts ran something like this:

"Where were you born?"—"In Germany." "Where are you now?"—"In America." "Who lives in the room next to yours?"—"A Swede girl." "Is she a Christian?"—"No." "Who lives in the flat below?"—"An Irish family." "Christians?"—"No." "Who lives next door?"—"Italians." "Christians?"—"No." "Have you ever done any missionary work in this neighborhood?" And she was obliged to answer with shame and humiliation, "No."

In a foreign land, in the midst of foreigners who knew nothing of God, she had not recognized her opportunity. Is she the only one of whom that could be said? How is it with you?—The Youth's Comrade.