| The Joy of Service |
Chapter 3 |
Page 5 |
All will admit that the man with the optimistic spirit gets far more out of life, and makes far more of life, than his pessimistic neighbour. It is a great deal better to see blue sky and stars than only dull, leaden clouds. It is a more noble thing to hear angel music that thunder in the voices that break on our ears.
Happiness or unhappiness is, therefore, not so much a matter of condition as of heart. We gather in life what our habit of heart has fitted us for gathering. One bird, when it finds itself imprisoned in a cage, begins to struggle, trying to escape, flying wildly against the wires; but it only bruises its breast and wings in its unavailing efforts. Another bird, when caged, cheerfully accepts the inevitable, and fills all the place with sweet songs. The canary is wiser than the starling. It is both good philosophy and good religion to make the best of one’s condition.
There is something sacred about that which is inevitable. When we find ourselves in hard or painful conditions, which are clearly providential, over which we have no power, we must conclude that, for the time these conditions represent the will of God for us. This should help us to accept them, not sullenly, but joyously. Instead of the voice of thunder in them, we should hear angels’ songs.
Page 5