#thomas arnold

La differenza tra un uomo e un altro non è nella mera abilità. . . è nell'energia.

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by Thomas Arnold

"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you" - 1 Peter 5:6-7

The above text does not allow us to suppose that our course from birth to eternity is to run smoothly. Rather, it speaks of good things coming after trouble. Half, and more than half, of the practical faults in the world arise from looking upon life with a false view, that is, expecting from life what God does not intend for us to find in it.

When reading of our Lord's life and studying his discourses, we are surprised at the absolute unworldliness of them. Jesus knew that social and civil activity were sufficiently natural to man so as to need no encouragement. He knew that knowledge would be pursued and arts and sciences cultivated. But he knew also that the kingdom of God and his righteousness would not be sought after. He knew that men would look carefully enough on the things of this life but would care for little beyond it. Jesus came to earth to bring immortality to light, and therefore he gave a new perspective to our earthly life, a perspective that changed it from a thing complete in itself to a mere beginning of eternity. He opened men's eyes to see what was truly valuable in the pursuit of eternal life in contrast to what was merely trifling and joyful only for a moment.

Life is a time of trial of uncertain length, but short even at its longest. It is a time in which we have the opportunity to make ourselves fit for eternal life. And this is our proper business; for all the rest, however splendid or useful, is secondary to it. We may, indeed, be thankful when God makes our training for eternity consist in doing great and useful deeds that bring forth much fruit. Yet we are each doing our business just as thoroughly, and answering as fully the purposes for which we were sent into the world, when we are laid up for years upon a bed of sickness, incapable of any further action than that of glorifying God and perfecting our own souls by patient love.

The welfare of nations and improvement of the world on a large scale are, if I may use such an expression, God's business. If he should by his particular call of providence choose us to be his honored instruments in accomplishing this work, we may be thankful and happy. Nevertheless, we should rejoice with trembling, lest while thus engaged in what I have ventured to call God's peculiar work we neglect our own. It is not true that our great business or objective in the world is to do all the good we can in it. Our great business and objective is to do God's will, and to be so changed through his Spirit into his image that we may be fit to live with him forever.

God's will for us is declared by the course of his providence, putting us into different situations of life where different duties are required. But these are duties because they are his will. If they are performed solely to improve mankind and without any regard to the will of our heavenly Father, then our great business in life is left undone. The most helpless sufferer who has been bedridden for years, or the child who has been called away after the first opening of its heart to the love of God, has spent life better, and has better answered the end for which he was born, than we.

And it is manifest that ridding life of its anxious cares is a wonderful means of keeping our primary end steadily in view. If our goal is to be simply useful in life, then our happiness must greatly depend upon outward circumstances. Our own poor health, the failure of our faculties, the decay of our worldly prosperity, and the condition of public affairs may at any time cripple our usefulness and defeat our goal at the very moment when we feel sure of obtaining it. The prospect of death to a young and healthy man engaged in some long and important work, which he feels would be useful to mankind if he could accomplish it, is one of the severest trials, if he fails to remember what his real business in life is. Most painful would it be to be taken from the harvest just when one's hand has clasped the sickle, if that man knew not who was the Lord of the harvest and to whom it belonged to find the reapers for it.