if we knew ‘the hour and the day’ of our Lord’s return we might be tempted to behave a little more like Christ as the Day approaches. And what kind of fair-weather (or more correctly Apocalyptic-weather) disciples would that prove us to be?
The only power struggle in the Church of Christ should be that of competing for the last place!
True greatness is not found in ruling.
True greatness consists in serving!
We cannot hold on to the blessings of Christ if our hands are wrapped around something, anything, else.
We will not enter into the joy of our Father if we continue to seek fulfilment in the things of this world.
‘He must increase, but I must decrease.’ (John the Baptist)
When we learn to follow the first follower of Jesus we discover that the Christian life is about learning to grow smaller.
If I could choose a young man’s companions, some should be weaker than himself, that he might learn patience and charity; many should be as nearly as possible his equals, that he might have the full freedom of friendship; but most should be stronger than he was, that he might for ever be thinking humbly of himself and be tempted to higher things.
Note what the great men admired – they admired great things; narrow spirits admire basely, and worship meanly.
IT requires but little knowledge of society and history to assure us of the strong permeating invisible influence upon society at large of any body of men of clear thought, strong conviction, and disciplined conduct.
Do we not all know how apt we are to become like those whom we see, with whom we spend our hours, and, above all, like those whom we admire and honour? For good and for evil, alas!
THE best we can do for each other is to remove unnecessary obstacles, and the worst – to weaken any of the motives which urge us to strive.
‘QUENCH not the smoking flax’ – to which I add, ‘Never give unnecessary pain.’ The cricket is not the nightingale; why tell him so?
Suffolk Vicar 