In The Master's Service

HOW WOULD WE FEEL

Elder Rufus K. Blackshear

I wonder how any of us would feel if we knew that every member of the Primitive Baptist Church knew us as we know ourselves! Would we be willing for them to know our every word, action and thought? This is the way we should live in the world. Of course there are personal family affairs that are not to be exposed to the world, but outside of these personal things that are supposed to be kept private, our lives should be an open book. If others knew as much about us as we know about ourselves, would they have as much fellowship for us as they now do? We SHOULD live so that they would, because we surely do not want to be deceivers. Are we as truly humble as we would have our brethren believe we are? The true test of humility is not always to be found in the midst of a good spiritual meeting, for it is easy to be humble when the Lord is manifesting His blessings and everyone is feeling good, but the real test of humility comes when others do not agree with us, or when things go contrary to our desires.

Let us examine ourselves and see if we are really trying to live Christian lives. That is my desire, and I am sure it is the desire of others. I want the love and confidence of my dear brethren in the church, but I want to come by it HONESTLY and not DECEPTIVELY. Let us say nothing, do nothing, and strive to think nothing that we would be ashamed for others to know. If we have been guilty of this in the past, let us pray God for forgiveness and mend our ways, so that when we have attained to the fellowship of God's children we may not feel to be deceivers. I want to be always what I SHOULD be and what I want others to THINK I am, don't you?