Our Love for Others

Christ has expressed His love for man in that He has given His life for the ransom of the world. And this love is to measure the love that His disciples shall manifest for one another. “These things have I spoken unto you,” He says, “that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” RH Nov. 9, 1897.

While we were yet unloving and unlovely in character, “hateful and hating one another,” our Heavenly Father had mercy on us. “After that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.” (Titus 3:3-5). His love received will make us in like manner, kind and tender, not merely toward those who please us, but to the most faulty, erring and sinful.” MB 75.

Responsibilities To Widows

Ruth 1:3-5, “And Elimelech, Naomi’s husband died and she was left with two sons. (4). “And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the name of the other was Ruth; and they dwelled there about ten years. (5). And Mahlon and Chilion also died; and the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.”

“Among all whose needs demand our interest, the widow and the fatherless have the strongest claims upon our tender sympathy and care. ‘Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world.’

“The father, who has died in the faith, resting upon the eternal promise of God, left his loved ones in full trust that the Lord would care for them. And how does God provide for these bereaved ones? He does not work a miracle in sending manna from heaven; He does not send ravens to bring them food; but He works a miracle upon human hearts. He expels selfishness from the soul; He unseals the fountain of benevolence; He tests the love of His professed followers by committing to their tender mercies for the afflicted and bereaved ones, the poor and the orphans. Those are in a special sense the little ones whom Christ looks upon, whom it is an offence to Him to neglect. Those who do neglect them are neglecting Christ in the person of His afflicted ones. Every kind act done to them in the name of Jesus, is accepted by Him as if done to Himself, for He identifies His interest with that of suffering humanity, and He has entrusted to His church the grand work of ministering to Jesus by helping and blessing the needy and suffering. On all who shall minister to them with willing hearts the blessing of the Lord will rest.

“Many a widowed mother with her fatherless children is bravely striving to bear her double burden, often toiling far beyond her strength in order to keep her little ones with her and to provide for their needs. Little time has she for their training and instruction, little opportunity to surround them with influences that would brighten their lives. She needs encouragement, sympathy, and tangible help.” WM 214, 215-219.

Naomi, An Almost Irresistible Influence (Ruth 1:8-14)

Kind words, pleasant looks, a cheerful countenance, throws a charm around the Christian that makes his influence almost irresistible. This is the way to gain respect, and extend the sphere of unselfishness, which costs but little. It is the religion of Christ in the heart that causes the words issuing therefrom to be gentle and the demeanor condescending, even to those in the humblest walks of life. A blustering, faultfinding, overbearing man is not a Christian; for to be a Christian, is to be Christlike. It is no mark of a Christian to be continually jealous of ones dignity. In forgetfulness of self, in the light and peace and comfort he is constantly bestowing on others, is seen the true dignity of the man.” RH Sept. 1, 1885.

“Those who truly receive Christ are given power to become the sons of God. As they look to Jesus, they catch the divine rays of light, and are attracted by the loveliness, and purity and goodness of the Saviour. They seek to copy His pleasantness, rather than the harsh violence manifested by those who disregard the laws of God. And as they keep before them the fear of God, and walk as obedient children, others will mark their Christlikeness of character, and will be drawn to the Saviour by the revelation of their love, their justice and their mercy. Yet some will refuse to come to the Saviour, choosing darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil.” RH Aug. 31, 1905.

“The truth is not merely to be spoken by those who work for Christ; it is to be lived. People are watching and weighing those who claim to believe the special truths for this time. They are watching to see where in their life represents Christ. By humbly and earnestly engaging in the work of doing good to all, God’s people will exert an influence that will tell on all with whom they are brought into contact. If those who know the truth will take hold of this work as opportunities are presented, day by day doing deeds of love and kindness in the neighbourhood where they live, Christ will be revealed in their lives. Those with whom they associate will see that they have been with Jesus, and have learned of Him. The Gospel will be proclaimed with living power. It will be seen to be a reality, not the result of imagination or enthusiasm. The lives of such Christians will have more power to convict and convert sinners than sermons, professions or creeds.” RH June 2, 1903.

“Ye are the light of the world—Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” “We are labourers together with God; ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.” No man liveth unto himself. God has linked humanity together that everyone who follows Christ, the light of life will have the influence for good upon the lives of others. If we have indeed become Christians, and are partakers of the divine nature, we shall review it in our characters.” RH Oct. 16, 1888.

Faith To Trust His Guiding Hands

Ruth 1:13, “Would ye tarry for them until they were grown? Would ye stay for them from having husbands? Nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.”

God’s love is revealed in all His dealings with His people; and with clear, unclouded eyes, in adversity, in sickness, in disappointment, and in trial we are to behold the light of His glory in the face of Christ and trust to His guiding hand. But too often we grieve His heart by our unbelief.” ML 12.

“Life is not all made up of pleasant pastures and cooling streams. Trial and disappointments overtake us; privation comes; we are brought into trying places. Conscience stricken, we reason that we might have walked far away from God, that if we had walked with Him, we should not have suffered so. Doubt and despondency crowd into our hearts, and we say, the Lord has failed us and we are ill used. Why does He permit us to suffer thus? He cannot love us; if He did, He would remove the difficulties from our path…

“He does not always bring us into pleasant places. If He did, in our self-sufficiency, we should forget that He is our helper. He longs to manifest Himself to us, and to reveal the abundant supplies at our disposal, and He permits trial and disappointment to come to us that we may realize our helplessness, and learn to call upon Him for aid. He can cause cooling streams to flow from the flinty rock.

“We shall never know until we are face to face with God, when we shall see as we are seen and know as we are known, how many burdens He has borne for us, and how many burdens He would have been glad to bear, if with childlike faith we had brought them to Him…

“God loves His children and He longs to see them overcoming the discouragement with which Satan would overpower them. Do not give way to unbelief. Do not magnify your difficulties. Remember the love and power that God has shown in times past.” ML 12.

“The Lord has permitted misfortunes to come to men, poverty to press upon them, adversity to try them, that He may thus test those whom He has placed in more favoured circumstances; and if those to whom He has entrusted His good are faithful, He declares them to be worthy to walk with Him in white, to become kings and priests unto God. ‘He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much.’” TM 287.

See also 2 BC 1003, 4T 543-544.

Determination

Ruth 1:16, 17, “And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and they God my God: (17) “Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.” We need the earnest desire of the importunate widow and the syrophenecian woman, a determination that will not be repulsed.

“Many, very many, are making a fatal mistake by failing to heed this lesson of God’s providence. Peace and rest can be secured only by conflict. The powers of light and darkness are in array, and we must individually take a part in the struggle…

“Resolution, self-denial, and consecrated effort are required for the work of preparation. The understanding and the conscience may be united; but if the will is not set to work, we shall make a failure.” YI May 24, 1900.

“Some persons make their religious life a failure because they are always wavering and do not have determination. They are frequently convicted and come almost up to the point of surrendering all for God; but, failing to meet the point, they fall back again. While in this state the conscience is hardening and becoming less and less susceptible to the impressions of the spirit of God. His spirit has warned, has convicted, and has been disregarded, until it is nearly grieved away. God will not be trifled with. He shows duty clearly, and if there is a neglect to follow the light, it becomes darkness.” 2T 263.

Challenge to Improve: Think it Through

“Ministers should stop to consider whether they are performing their life work in such a manner as to accomplish the best and greatest results, or whether they are cutting their lives short by spasmodic efforts, without regard to the laws of health. God is pleased with men who do not think that they have attained to perfection, but who are constantly trying to improve. He would have us come into connection with Him, and increase in understanding and reform our habits, ever rising higher, and approaching nearer the standard of perfection.

“The minister of Christ should continue to search the Scriptures. He will never know so much of Bible truth that he needs to search for more. A true Bible Christian will not find anything in the word of God justifying him in disregarding the laws of life and health…

“We are to make daily improvements; our ways and manners are to become more like the ways and manners of holy angels. Every uncouth gesture and coarse and uncultivated expression should be put far away. Every imperfection may be overcome if we learn of Jesus and closely follow His example…

“Some reason that the Lord will qualify a man by His spirit to speak as He would have him; but the Lord does not propose to do the work which He has given man to do. He has given us reasoning powers, and opportunities to educate the mind and manners. And after we have done all we can for ourselves, making use of the advantages, within our reach, then we may look to God with earnest prayer to do by His Holy Spirit that which we cannot do for ourselves.” RH Feb. 5, 1907.

“God designs that improvement shall be the life work of His followers, and that this improvement shall be guided and controlled by correct experience. The true man is the one who is willing to sacrifice his own interests for the good of others, who forgets himself in binding up the wounds of the broken hearted. But many fail of understanding the true object of life. Under the influence of cherished errors, they sacrifice all in life that is really valuable.” RH July 11, 1907.
“Improve is the word I have for all. Use a purpose the capability God has given you. Let the love of God lead you to strive for victory. You can if you will do His will, reach the ideal, which He has set before you. Let joy, and love and the grace of Christ perfect your character. Let a willingness to obey make your path bright. Believe and receive to impart. Without a murmur or complaint lift the cross. In the act of lifting it, you will find that it lifts you. You will find it alive with mercy, compassion and pitying love.” YI Sept. 12, 1901.
Amen.

Golden Kayawa Hingabantu, Zambia