In our study of the tests of spirituality we are arrested by the question, What is the range of my interest? It is easy to be concerned about our loved ones, and it is relatively easy to be concerned about the needs of people in our neighborhood. But the farther people get away from us the more difficult it is to maintain concern. Genuine spirituality has a way of leaping across the barrier of distance and heeding the cry, "Come over into Macedonia, and help us."
Two young people were visiting their relatives before leaving the homeland for their first term of mission service. One day on the street of a Southern city they met an old family friend who said, "I hear you all are going to Brazil." "That's right." "Got any kin down there?" "No." "Did any friends down there write and ask you to come?" "No, we have no friends down there." "Then how come you all are going?" "My Lord told me to go." "When?" "Nineteen hundred years ago." "Then He must have spoken mighty loud!"
God continues to speak "mighty loud" to His followers, saying, "You are a 'debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise'" (Rom. 1:14).
Down to the end of time we have a responsibility to go and teach all nations the wonderful message of salvation. Every day souls are dying without Christ. Among the primitive people of the mountains in the interior of New Guinea, a chieftain who had received a mere glimpse of Christianity made the following appeal to one of our teachers: "My warriors are dying; my children are dying; we are all dying! Come before we all die!"
Let us emulate Christ and His second-mile spirit of service, by giving sacrificially. Let us plan for a finished work in the earth. When he was speaking in the British Parliament years ago, Lord Salisbury said, "We all need to study larger maps." Is that not true of our experience? We must think seriously of the twenty-three countries that we still have to enter with our message. We must widen our world interest and concern for these dark regions of earth. Should not our concern for the evangelization of these areas be as great as for the entrance of our message into the dark counties and cities in the homeland?
The messenger of the Lord writes:
To show a liberal, self-denying spirit for the success of foreign missions is a sure way to advance home missionary work; for the prosperity of the home work depends largely, under God, upon the reflex influence of the evangelical work done in countries afar off. It is in working to supply the necessities of others that we bring our souls into touch with the Source of all power.—Gospel Workers, pp. 465,466.
Another test of spirituality is, Can I forgive? In Romans 12:18-20 we have a reference to the only type of revenge that a Christian should seek. It says we are to "overcome evil with good." Weak, halfhearted, imperfect forgiveness is valueless, for the root of bitterness remains.
Some years ago a disgruntled member, while telling of a verbal injury cruelly administered to her by a fellow believer, was asked, "Have you forgiven her?" Her reply characterizes the attitude of too large a group. It was, "Oh, yes, I have forgiven her, but she still owes me an apology."
Have we learned to forgive from the heart? "Even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye."
A little blind boy over in Switzerland was asked one day in school the question, "What is forgiveness?"
He thought for a moment and then said thoughtfully, "It is the odor flowers breathe when trampled upon."
We may have been mistreated. We may have been trampled upon. What kind of perfume comes from our life when this happens?
Trust or Worry?
Let us ask another question. Do I trust God or do I worry? Said the psalmist: "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee" (Ps. 55:22). Are we tempted to put faith in appearances and to take counsel with our fears? Remember, that apparent impossibility may be God's bridge to the Promised Land. Difficulties are the stones out of which God's houses are built. When we do our whole duty we can be unafraid and leave the results with God.
In Gospel Workers we read, "Perfect faith, the surrender of self to God, simple trust in His pledged word, should be a part of every minister's experience."—Page 260. The Christian worker, believing in the deity of Christ and the omnipotence of God, but who worries, needs to be reminded that worry is sin. "Hope and courage are essential to perfect service for God. These are the fruit of faith. Despondency is sinful and unreasonable."—Prophets and Kings, p. 164.
Let us greet each day with this simple and effective prayer: "O Lord, help me to remember that nothing is going to happen to me today that You and I together can't handle."
The greatest victories gained for the cause of God are not the result of labored argument, ample facilities, wide influence, or abundance of means; they are gained in the audience chamber with God, when with earnest, agonizing faith men lay hold upon the mighty arm of power.
True faith and true prayer—how strong they are! They are as two arms by which the human suppliant lays hold upon the power of Infinite Love. Faith is trusting in God,—believing that He loves us, and knows what is for our best good.
Thus, instead of our own way, it leads us to choose His way.—Gospel Workers, p. 259.
It is true that "obstacles to the advancement of the work of God will appear; but fear not... Nothing can stand in His way. His power is absolute, and it is the pledge of the sure fulfillment of His promises to His people. He can remove all obstructions to the advancement of His work. He has means for the removal of every difficulty, that those who serve Him and respect the means He employs may be delivered. His goodness and love are infinite, and His covenant is unalterable."—Testimonies, vol. 8, p. 10.
Seek God First
And now the final test of spirituality. What is first in my thoughts and service? In Matthew 6:33 we read, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness." Do we have one interest in life as did the followers of Christ and the disciples at Pentecost? At this time "one interest prevailed. One subject of emulation swallowed up all others,—to be like Christ, to do the works of Christ. The earnest zeal felt was expressed by loving helpfulness, by kindly words and unselfish deeds. All strove to see who could do the most for the enlargement of Christ's kingdom.—ELLEN G. WRITE in The Review and Herald, June 10, 1902.
One interest should absorb all our thoughts and service—the coming of Christ. In some of the countries in Southern Asia and the Far East our members bid farewell to visitors by pointing up toward heaven. This gesture indicates they are looking for the coming of Jesus, and are getting ready for that great event.
Fulfilling prophecies indicate that we are speedily approaching the time of the end. May our conviction of the soon coming of Christ be revitalized, "For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry" (Heb. 10:37).
Our greatest need today is for renewed faith and the conviction that the coming of Christ is at the door. A revival of true godliness will come with the outpouring of God's Holy Spirit. All the prophecies point to a soon-coming Saviour.
We have all received a measure of God's Spirit, but are we continually seeking, through prayer and faith, for more of Heaven's power? How can we receive this? The messenger of the Lord answers:
From the day of Pentecost to the present time, the Comforter has been sent to all who have yielded themselves fully to the Lord and to His service. . . . When we bring our hearts into unity with Christ, and our lives into harmony with His work, the Spirit that fell on the disciples on the day of Pentecost will fall on us.—Christian Service, pp. 250-252.
When does God wish to bestow this gift that brings all other blessings in its train? "The descent of the Holy Spirit upon the church is looked forward to as in the future; but it is the privilege of the church to have it now. Seek for it, pray for it, believe for it. We must have it, and Heaven is waiting to bestow it."—Evangelism, p. 701.
It is interesting to discover that the first-century Christians inquired in their examination of members for church affiliation, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit?" (Acts 19:2, R.S.V.). Says Ellen G. White:
In my dream a sentinel stood at the door of an important building, and asked everyone who came for entrance, "Have ye received the Holy Ghost?" A measuring-line was in his hand, and only very, very few were admitted into the building. "Your size as a human being is nothing," he said. "But if you have reached the full stature of a man in Christ Jesus, according to the knowledge you have had, you will receive an appointment to sit with Christ at the marriage supper of the Lamb; and through eternal ages, you will never cease to learn of the blessings granted in the banquet prepared for you. —Selected Messages, book 1, pp. 109, 110.
Some years ago a Scottish pastor was calling on his parishioners. As he came to one home he was impressed to ask this question of the woman who came to the door, "Does Jesus live here?" She was so astonished she could not answer, and seeing her embarrassment the minister turned and left the home. She then rushed and told her husband of the very strange question that had been asked her by the minister.
He answered, "Why didn't you tell him we go to church, we give to the church? You know we help poor people when we can." She replied, "It wasn't information like that he wanted. He wanted to know if Jesus lives here, and that's different."
As we apply these questions we have discussed to our own hearts we can evaluate our SQ as God's men, the development of our character, our effectiveness, and our readiness for the coming of Christ.
