. We blunder and stumble in our
holiest endeavors, J. R. Miller, life's byways and
waysides. David served his own generation
by the will of God, Acts 13, 36. It gives dignity and also
sacredness to our life to be serving our generation. Every
true-hearted Christian, realizing this truth, seeks to work out
God's will in his own character and life. Of course, we cannot
do this perfectly, for nothing human is perfect. The artist
fails to put all his vision into his picture. In all our life
we do, even at our best, but a little of the beautiful work
we intend and plan. We blunder and stumble in our
holiest endeavors. Our clumsy hands mar the lovely
ideals which our soul envisions. We set out in the morning with
high resolves. But our evening confessions tell
of many a shortcoming. We never live any day as well
as we know we should live. Yet, there is a sense in which,
without attaining perfection, a Christian may fulfill God's
plan for himself. One of the most interesting illustrations
of such a life is David's. The Lord says, I have found David
the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who shall fulfill
all my will. Then in another sentence, we
catch the secret of this life, which was so complete. We are
told that David served his own generation by the will of God.
It is worth our while to look closely at this inspired description
of a life which so pleased God, in order that we may learn how
to work out the divine will for ourselves. David Served Serving
is not a favorite word. We naturally resent the idea
of serving. It seems to have an ignoble meaning,
but really it is one of the most royal of words. One who has not
begun to serve has not begun to live a godly life. God never
yet made a life for selfishness. Jesus came to show us the perfect
divine ideal of human living, and He served unto the very uttermost. I came not to be served, but
to serve was His own declaration of His life's central thought
and purpose. When they asked Him who was the
greatest in His kingdom, He said, The One who serves. We are to
live not to get, but to give, not to be helped, but to help,
not to receive, but to bestow. David served his own generation. Our generation is the entire
human family living at the present time on the earth. How can any
man serve all his own generation? There are hundreds of millions
of people he can never see. How can he do anything for these? One way of serving our own generation
is to fill well the little place which we are assigned in God's
providence. We can do most to bless the world
at large by being a true blessing to the little circle in the midst
of which we are placed. Another way in which one may
serve his generation is by giving to it something which will enrich
it, which will add to its happiness and good, which will make it
better, purer. Another way in which one may
serve his generation is by showing it an example of godly living,
patience under trial, purity and uprightness under temptation,
love and meekness under injury and wrong, and thus be a purifying,
uplifting, enriching influence in the world. We say we are but
little people and can fill only a little place. We cannot serve
our generation in the same large way in which David served his. Yet each individual life has
its own distinct place in the plan of God, and each may fill
out its own pattern. Even the smallest life lived
well blesses the world. Every godly deed we do makes
it a little easier for others to do godly deeds and lifts the
standard of living among men a little higher. Many people
are oppressed and disheartened by the seeming smallness and
insignificance of their life, but we can serve our generation
by lightening one burden, making one heart nobler and stronger,
comforting one sorrow, guiding one perplexed soul into peace,
showing one bewildered child the path of holiness, teaching
one tempted person how to overcome sin.