| The Joy of Service |
Chapter 17 |
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Then, there is a covering of egotism and self conceit which sometimes obscures the light. The Christian religion teaches us to be modest and humble in our demeanour, to desire to give rather than to receive, to seek to minister rather than to be ministered unto, in honour to prefer one another instead of demanding honour for ourselves. We are not to insist upon always having our own way, or to think that none but we know anything well or can do anything in the right way.
But sometimes we find a man, a Christian man, who is so full of vanity that he considers no other one’s opinion as of any account. He is upright, truthful, and honourable, firm in his principles, inflexible in his integrity; but the lamp of his good life is hidden under the bushel of an offensive egotism, an intolerable self conceit. He treats other people and their suggestions almost with contempt. He is dictatorial and despotic, incapable of cooperation in work with others. Such a man, by the grave fault in his character, defeats the very purpose of his own best aim. He wants to be a leader; but he seeks position as a right, claiming it, demanding it, rather than winning it by force of character and fitness, and by readiness to serve. Some splendid men, with magnificent powers, are rendered almost useless to their fellows by this offensive spirit. The true leaders are those who pay no heed to the mere outward forms of position, precedence, and rank, but devote themselves in love and self denying service to the good of others.
By demanding place one may become like the figure head, which vaunts itself in vanity upon the ship’s prow; but the true man of influence is rather like the propeller, which, hidden out of sight, drives the vessel through seas and storms. Jesus said they are chief, not who claim to be first and to have highest rank, but who serve the most deeply and unselfishly. We must not hide the light of our life under the covering of an unlovely egotism, but should set the lamp on the candlestick of self forgetting devotion to the good of others.
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