A Grace Gem by J. R, Miller

If you don't get Grace Gems, I highly suggest that you do. They are both challenging and encouraging at the same time, and they give a picture of what Christians have thought and said in the past. They often go by author, and I have to say that J.R. Miller is quickly become someone I deeply respect. Here is today's devotion for your consideration.

(J. R. Miller, "The Beauty of Quietness" 1903)

"They will be like dew sent by the Lord." Micah 5:7

The lives of godly people are sometimes compared to the dew. One point of likeness, is the quiet way in which the dew performs its ministry. It falls silently and imperceptibly. It makes no noise. No one hears it dropping. It chooses its time in the night when men are sleeping, when none can see its beautiful work. It covers the leaves with clusters of pearls. It steals into the bosoms of the flowers, and leaves new cupfuls of sweetness there. It pours itself down among the roots of the grasses and tender herbs and plants. It loses itself altogether, and yet it is not lost. For in the morning there is fresh life everywhere, and new beauty. The fields are greener, the gardens are more fragrant, and all nature is clothed in fresh luxuriance!

Is there not in this simile, a suggestion as to the way we should seek to do good in this world? Should we not wish to have our influence felt--while no one thinks of us; rather than that we should be seen and heard and praised? Should we not be willing to lose ourselves in the service of self-forgetful love, as the dew loses itself in the bosom of the rose--caring only that other lives shall be sweeter, happier, and holier--and not that honor shall come to us? We are too anxious, some of us, that our names shall be written in large letters on the things we do, even on what we do for our Master; and are not willing to sink ourselves out of sight--and let Him alone have the praise.

Our Lord's teaching on the subject is very plain. He says: "Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full." That is, they have that which they seek--the applause of men.

"But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." The meaning would seem to be, that we are not to wish people to know of our good deeds, our charities, our self-denials; that we should not seek publicity, when we give money or do good works; indeed, that we are not even to tell ourselves what we have done; that we are not to think about our own good deeds so as to become conscious of them; not to put them down in our diaries and go about complimenting ourselves, throwing bouquets at ourselves, and whispering: "How good I am! What fine things I have done!"

This is an insightful test of our lives. Are we willing to be as the dew--to steal abroad in the darkness, carrying blessings to men's doors, blessings that shall enrich the lives of others and do them good--and then steal away again before those we have helped or blessed awaken, to know what hand it was that brought the gift? Are we willing to work for others . . .
without gratitude,
without recognition,
without human praise,
without requital?

Are we content to have our lives poured out like the dew--to bless the world and make it more fruitful--and yet remain hidden away ourselves? Is it enough for us to see the fruits of our toil and sacrifice--in others' spiritual growth, and deeper happiness; yet never hear our names spoken in praise or honor--perhaps even hearing others praised for things we have done?

If you go about doing good in simple ways, in gentle kindnesses, not thinking of reward, not dreaming of praise, not hoping for any return--you are enshrining your name where it will have immortal honor! Our lesson teaches us that this is the way we are to live--if we are followers of Christ!

Oh that the reformers were here

From - http://www.jamesdobsondoesntspeakforme.com/

James Dobson doesn't speak for me.

*Well He doesn't speak for me... so no issue there.

He doesn't speak for me when he uses religion as a wedge to divide;

*I think that Religion is a Wedge that SHOULD divide us... there are people who believe in many False Gods, there are people who believe in a couple of False Gods and there are people who believe in just one False God... But they all believe in a false God(s) {which Mark Driscoll would say is a demon) and not the True and living God. There is a Wedge there and rightfully so.

He doesn't speak for me when he speaks as the final arbiter on the meaning of the Bible;

*I have to agree here, but I think that he is pretty close most of the time at least more so then Mr. Obama.

James Dobson doesn't speak for me when he uses the beliefs of others as a line of attack;

*Generally speaking I would say he doesn't here either, but only because he doesn't go far enough... Is should be a line of attack and a plea to come to there senses.

He doesn't speak for me when he denigrates his neighbor's views when they don't line up with his;

*Again, I think if he denigrates a view, I would agree 9 times out of 10.

He doesn't speak for me when he seeks to confine the values of my faith to two or three issues alone;

*There really is only one issue and two issues of our day - 1. How do you line up to the BIBLE?! [ Abortion and Gay Marriage for which I think he does speak for me, they are both sinful, immoral and disgusting... a tribute to man being able to invent new ways of doing evil.]

What does speak for me is David's psalm celebrating how good and pleasant it is when we come together in unity;

*As long as we have unity IN Jesus Christ, I agree

Micah speaks for me in reminding us that the Lord requires us to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with Him;

*I agree here to, and how can we act justly if we are allowing thousands of babies to be murdered daily??

The prophet Isaiah speaks for me in his call for all to come and reason together and also to seek justice, encourage the oppressed and to defend the cause of the vulnerable;

* "defend the cause of the vulnerable" Like the unborn who are being murdered, who Mr. Obama would allow to be murdered more easily... the thought that a 'Christian' could support Murder is beyond me.

The book of Nehemiah speaks for me in its example to work with our neighbors, not against them, to restore what was broken in our communities;

*Ummm... this is exegetically poor. This was a community of people who had the same faith. How can I would with an unbeliever and give God the Glory?

The book of Matthew speaks for me in saying to bless those that curse you and pray for those who persecute you;

*It sure does... and I have a feeling that persecution is knock, knock, knocking at the door in America for true Christians.

The words of the apostle Paul speak for me in saying that words spoken and deeds done without love amount to nothing.

*I agree... and what is more loving then telling someone they believe a Lie?

The apostle John speaks for me in reminding us of Jesus' command to love one another. The world will know His disciples by that love.

*We are to love other Christians with a special love and outsiders with a different love. We are to love, no disagreement there, the question is what is love? I have to say Tolerance isn't Love, it is more like apathy.

These words speak for me. But when James Dobson attacks Barack Obama, James Dobson doesn't speak for me.

*Ummm... wrong, he does speak for me there.