Brotherhood

All about us, evermore, are human needs and sorrows, which make their mute appeal to us. We are our brother’s keepers. It will not avail as excuse for us that we did our brother no harm. Did we do him the good that his condition needed? It looks from the story as if the priest, when he came to the wounded man, kept his face turned away, so that he could not see him. There are many people that do the same these days. They refuse to see the misery and sorrow about them. But keeping ourselves ignorant of human needs will never excuse us for not relieving them. 

J. R. Miller. D. D.

No distance breaks the ties of blood;

Brothers are brothers evermore;

Nor wrong, nor wrath or deadliest mood,

That magic may o’erpower.

So it is with true Christian hearts;

Their mutual share in Jesus’ blood

An everlasting bond imparts

Of holiest brotherhood.

O might we all our lineage prove,

Give and forgive, do good in love,

By soft endearments in kind strife

Lightening the load of daily life.

Taken from A Daily Message from Many Minds

How Are You Growing?

How can you tell whether you are growing? Ask yourself these questions: are you getting taller? Are you able to overlook some things you were unable to overlook last year? To overlook the sneering glance, the harsh word, the selfish, the unkind, or malicious deed? Serenely to overlook failure when you have done your best? Bravely to overlook misfortune when it was unavoidable? Cheerily to overlook dark days and darker frowns? Are you getting tall enough for this?

Are you getting broader? Are you able to see more of the other sides of things than you could see last year? Can you look around behind disappointment, and see strengthened faith? Does your vision reach to the other side of men’s faults, and perceive their difficulties, temptations, and struggles? Are you learning to look on all sides of your plans and designs proposed to you by others? Are you really growing broader?

Amos R. Wells

Let me, then, be always growing,

Never, never standing still;

Listening, learning, better knowing

Thee and Thy most blessed will;

Till I reach Thy holy place,

Daily let me grow in grace.

Frances R. Havergal.

Taken from A Daily Message from Many Minds, Thoughts for the Quiet Hour.