If you happen to live in obscurity, and have not entered the lists of honors among your fellowmen, be content to run well your own course and fulfill truly your own vocation."
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Quote of the Week
"It seems natural to us all to wish to make a name and gain some note, in the circle we move in at any rate, and we wish to make that circle wider if we can... Men, in seeking after notoriety or honor, have a degree of pleasure in the search that they do not possess when they have gained their object... If you have honor or fame, accept it, but let this prayer go up, 'My God bless me indeed, for what profit were it, if my name were in thousand mouths, if You should spew it out of your mouth? What matter though my name were written in marble, if it were not written in the Lamb's Book of Life?..."
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4 comments:
this is a great and important reminder as there is such a tug internally and externally to make a name for myself. in the business circle i live in you can feel the "rich soil" of self promotion and arrogance and pride. the desire to be known for something, to gain a notable title. when i get swirled into this desire, God and my pursuit of Him gets ignored. i do find that when i sit back and do my work as unto the Lord and encourage others and walk humbly there is a great peace and joy .
thanks for the quote, it is a keeper!
"Funny", I was thinking about obscurity just a few moments ago - but not in terms of accomplishment or fame as we usually define it. I was thinking about it in terms of being well loved. I looked down at a picture of my niece and nephew, who love their auntie su, and wondered why this is not enough honor in and of itself.
Jimmy - I understand exactly how you feel about the "rich soil of self promotion" I know I need to be reminded of such selfish thinking and learn to mortify it
Susan - our desire to be "known" and for significance (and love) is not a bad thing. It's meant though to drive us to God who gives us significance
I think it does become a problem though when it drives us to people rather than God - fear of man is a powerful idol.
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