What Is Success?
(An excerpt from Joseph Parker)
(Jan. 2008, 3 minutes)
Let us beware how we use that word “success” in connection with spiritual things. It is not an arithmetical term. A man is not failing because his pews are empty, a ministry is not necessarily a failure because there may not be numerical Joseph Parker 1830-1903additions to the visible church. A man is not necessarily succeeding because his pews are crowded and because thousands enroll themselves on the register of the visible fellowship. We have nothing to do with, either failure or success we are called to sow the seed to do the work, to suffer and endure, and wait and hope, and God giveth the increase. Poor father and mother, you think you have had no reward in your family? Cheer up, you will have good harvest yet. You have planted and sowed and watered? Yes. God giveth the increase, thou canst not tell how are when or which way, leave it, dear honoured parent, and it will be well with the child.
Ministers of Christ, you say you have cried your very eyes out, and worked until your heart has been sore, and ached with great agonies, and no good seems to have come of your labour. Wait. In the morning sow the seed, in the evening withhold not thine hand, for thou knowest not which shall prosper, or whether both shall be alike good. Cast thy bread upon the waters and after many days thou shall find it. God is not mocked: whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap. Labour more abundantly and more hopefully, and leave the Harvest to God, as he has left the seed time to you.
Bibles for Villagers
You say, “There has not been much success in the church, we only added one last year.” I am not speaking now about any particular church, but about a church in which such circumstances may easily have occurred. “We only added one last year” Who was that one? “Well it was a poor washerwoman.” O indeed. Any family ? “large family, six boys that we know of.” And you added the mother of six boys to your church? Who can tell how many you added when you added that poor laundress? These may be six kings, six leaders of men, six apostles. “His name? I think his name was Robert Moffat.” And you only added Robert Moffat to the church in one year? Do you know who Robert Moffat is ! When you added Robert Moffat to the church you added a WORLD !
Joseph Parker (1830-1901)
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