The making of Christian character
(J.R. Miller)
It used to be a custom for travelers
in Switzerland to bring home clusters
of the edelweiss. The flower is not
sought because of its beauty
or for its fragrance--
but in recognition of its
hardiness and victoriousness
in living and blooming under
very difficult conditions.
It grows on the Alps and Pyrenees,
at lofty altitudes, where almost nothing
else lives, and on crags difficult
of access, and is among
the hardiest of all plants.
Thus the edelweiss becomes
the symbol of noble life which . . .
endures hardness,
is victorious amid antagonisms,
rises superior to obstacles.
The man who has never known
hardship, who never has had
to practice self-denial or
make a personal sacrifice--
may be the envy of other
men whose lives have
been one continual struggle.
They may think that if they could
have had his easy circumstances--
that they could have made a great
deal more of their life. But really,
their opportunities in life thus far,
has been far better than his.
Christian character is made
in the field of struggle and hardship--
not in ways of ease and luxury.
Hindrances are opportunities.
Difficulty is a school for character.
Strength is the glory of manhood.
Yet it is not easy to be strong--
it is easier to be weak and to drift.
It is easier for the boy in school
not to work hard to get his lessons--
but to let them go, and then at
the last depend on some other
boy to help him through.
It is easier, when something
happens to make you irritable,
just to fly into a temper and
to say bitter words--
than it is to keep quiet and
self-controlled. It is easier,
when you are with other young
people, and they are about to do
something that you know to be
unworthy, just to go with them--
than it is to say, "I cannot do
this wickedness against GOD!"
It is easier to be weak--
than to be strong. But
weakness never leads
to mature Christian character.
(J.R. Miller)
It used to be a custom for travelers
in Switzerland to bring home clusters
of the edelweiss. The flower is not
sought because of its beauty
or for its fragrance--
but in recognition of its
hardiness and victoriousness
in living and blooming under
very difficult conditions.
It grows on the Alps and Pyrenees,
at lofty altitudes, where almost nothing
else lives, and on crags difficult
of access, and is among
the hardiest of all plants.
Thus the edelweiss becomes
the symbol of noble life which . . .
endures hardness,
is victorious amid antagonisms,
rises superior to obstacles.
The man who has never known
hardship, who never has had
to practice self-denial or
make a personal sacrifice--
may be the envy of other
men whose lives have
been one continual struggle.
They may think that if they could
have had his easy circumstances--
that they could have made a great
deal more of their life. But really,
their opportunities in life thus far,
has been far better than his.
Christian character is made
in the field of struggle and hardship--
not in ways of ease and luxury.
Hindrances are opportunities.
Difficulty is a school for character.
Strength is the glory of manhood.
Yet it is not easy to be strong--
it is easier to be weak and to drift.
It is easier for the boy in school
not to work hard to get his lessons--
but to let them go, and then at
the last depend on some other
boy to help him through.
It is easier, when something
happens to make you irritable,
just to fly into a temper and
to say bitter words--
than it is to keep quiet and
self-controlled. It is easier,
when you are with other young
people, and they are about to do
something that you know to be
unworthy, just to go with them--
than it is to say, "I cannot do
this wickedness against GOD!"
It is easier to be weak--
than to be strong. But
weakness never leads
to mature Christian character.
No comments:
Post a Comment