Character and Conduct – 26 January – Life-Giver not Deed-Doer

CHRIST was not primarily the Deed-Doer or the Word-Sayer.   He was the Life-Giver.   He made men live.   Wherever He went He brought vitality.   Both in the days of His Incarnation and in the long years of His power which have followed since He vanished from men’s sight, His work has been to create the conditions in which all sorts of men should live.

PHILLIPS BROOKS

THEREFORE with all the strength God has given us, let us be fulfillers.   Let us try to make the life of the world more complete.   What can we do?   First, each of us can put one more healthy and holy life into the world, and so directly increase the aggregation of righteousness.   That is much.   To fasten one more link, however small, in the growing chain that is ultimately to bind humanity to God beyond all fear of separation, is very much indeed.   And besides that, we can, with sympathy and intelligence, patience and hope, bring up the lagging side in all the vitality around us, and assert for man the worth, the meaning, and the possibility of this his human life.

PHILLIPS BROOKS

oooOOOooo

These quotes are from ‘Character and Conduct’ A selection of helpful thoughts from various authors arranged for daily reading.

Collected by Constance M Whishaw and first published in 1905 as a follow up to her volume of Daily Readings for members of the Being and Doing Guild who asked for an additional volume

In her preface Whishaw writes:

‘This collection of noble thoughts expressed by men and women of past and present ages who have endeavoured to leave the world a little better than they found it.’

It is my hope in publishing the her readers may be inspired to imitate the example of the authors.