“ Whatever God has made you , when he calls you , abide in that , focus on that , unless you are quite sure that he calls you to something else .”
opportunity of magnifying the Most High if this were the case . The shepherds went back to the sheep-pens glorifying and praising God .
Beloved , it is not office , it is earnestness ; it is not position , it is grace which will enable us to glorify God . God is most surely glorified in that cobbler ’ s stall where the godly worker as he plies the awl sings of the Savior ’ s love , ay , glorified far more than in many a priestly office where official religiousness performs its scanty duties . The name of Jesus is glorified by yonder carter as he drives his horse and blesses his God , or speaks to his fellow laborer by the roadside , as much as by yonder theologian who , throughout the country like Boanerges , is thundering out the gospel . God is glorified by our abiding in our vocation . Take care you do not fall out of the path of duty by leaving your calling , and take care you do not dishonor your profession while in it . Think not much of yourselves , but do not think too little of your callings .
There is no trade which is not sanctified by the gospel . If you turn to the Bible , you will find the most menial forms of labor have been in some way or other connected either with the most daring deeds of faith , or else with persons whose lives have been otherwise illustrious . Keep to your calling , brothers and sisters , keep to your calling ! Whatever God has made you , when he calls you , abide in that , focus on that , unless you are quite sure that he calls you to something else . The shepherds glorified God though they went to their trade .
They glorified God though they were shepherds . As we remarked , they were not men of learning . So far from having an extensive library full of books , it is probable they could not read a word ; yet they glorified God . This takes away all excuse for you good people who say , “ I am no scholar ; I never had any education ; I never went even to a Sunday-school .” Ah , but if your heart is right , you can glorify God . Never mind , Sarah , do not be cast down because you know so little ; learn more if you can , but make good use of what you do know . Never mind , John ; it is indeed a pity that you should have had to toil so early , as not to have acquired even the rudiments of knowledge ; but do not think that you cannot glorify God . If you would praise God , live a holy life ; you can do that by his grace , at any rate , without scholarship . If you would do good to others , be good yourself ; and that is a way which is as open to the most illiterate as it is to the best taught . Be of good courage !
“ Whatever God has made you , when he calls you , abide in that , focus on that , unless you are quite sure that he calls you to something else .”
Shepherds glorified God , and so may you . Remember there is one thing in which they had a preference over the wise men . The wise men wanted a star to lead them ; the shepherds did not . The wise men went wrong even with a star , stumbled into Jerusalem ; the
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