"The most saintly spirits are often existing in those who have never distinguished themselves as authors, or let any memorial of themselves to be the theme of the world's talk; but who have led an interior angelic life, having borne their sweet blossoms unseen like the young lily in a sequestered vale on the bank of a limpid stream."- Kenelm Digby
Oh, how many saints had been in the past and are somewhere today unnoticed, unheard, working behind the scene with no earthyly glory, but God's glory in mind. Probably we would have even encountered some in our neighborhood, workplace, church,school, hospital.
I remember a precious woman who came to my door to purchase a leather couch I had put for sale,.A few days earlier I had returned to Saskatoon on a two week visit to put our house up for sale. Within that short period, I needed to pack, discard the unwanted, sell the furniture, clean the house to a shine and get back to San Diego in time to welcome some visitors home.
Sue, who came to look at my couch, not only bought many of my furniture, but also volunteered to come the next three days to help me pack, move and get the house ready to put up for sale. She was neither a friend nor a neighbor of mine. But a just an acquaintance who happened to drop by to see my furniture. She could have easily bought the stuff and gone. But she didn't . She saw my weary face, the number of unpacked Budget Moving boxes strewn around and my sole assistant-my teenage daughter chatting on the phone. Sue didn't stop with packing; she brought lunches for me and my daughter; she hauled our discarded stuff to the dumpsite in her small trailor and took us to the airport on the last day and bade us good-bye witha bear hug.
She was truly an angel sent by God to help me. That's what I told her and she took that with a sweet and modest gesture. Probably she would have done the same to any other person,I presumed. I don't think I would have gone to the extent Sue did. She went the extra mile. What she did, no one came to know. But God knew. No one goes unnoticed in His view.
In today's market, whatever glitters brighter or jingles louder gets sold. Genuine precious gems lie mostly unearthed. It is God who picks them up, blow away the dust and reveal their splendor in His light. Maybe these are the ones prophet Isaiah talks about in chapter 61: 3, which I read today for my Bible study.
"They will be called oaks of righteousness for the display of His splendor."
It brings also to my mind, a stanza of the Blogger's Prayer, Ann Voskamp posted in her blog. Yes, I'm a devout follower of Ann's postings, for I admire her heart for God and her beautiful writing. In the Blogger's Prayer, she writes,
'May I write not for subscribers... but only for Thy smile
.....
May my identity be in the innumerable graces of Christ
never, God forbid, the numbers of my comments."
As a new blogger, I know how tempting it could be to go again and again to check for comments under my postings. Even a single line I see there brightens my day and gives great satisfaction. Something within us surely craves for recognition. Though it seems an innocent gesture, if unchecked, I could be easily carried away by others perception of me and my work. My craving for affirmation would soon become the driving force, and leave my identity in Christ without much attention. Instant gratification seems assuring and comforting at times. As a result, instead of becoming an oak of righteousness to display Christ's splendor ,I may end up like a dried weed waving in the draft of self-worship.
It is my prayer that my focus be God alone, and my walk with Him be steadfast. Let my craving for monuments for world's talk be replaced by yearning to have an angelic inner life and to become an oak of righteousness for His splendor!***
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