. Life's Highest and Best Lesson
by J. R. Miller We read that Joseph
bore himself so congenially, and did his work so well, and
was so capable, so true, so trustworthy, that Potiphar left all he owned
under Joseph's care, He did not concern himself with anything
except the food he ate. – Genesis 39.6 Joseph would never
have won such a success if he had given up to discouragement,
if he had brooded over his wrongs, if he had sulked and complained,
if he had spent his time in vain regrets or in vindictive feelings. We should learn the lesson, and
it is worth learning, for it is life's highest and best lesson. The problem of life is to keep
the heart warm and kindly amid all injustice and wrong, to keep
the spirit brave and cheerful in the midst of all that is hard
in life's circumstances and conditions, to be true and right and strong
in all moral purpose and deed, however others may act toward
us. Our inner life should not be
affected by our external experiences. Right is right, no matter what
others around us may do. We must be true, no matter if
all the world is false, even false to us. We must be unselfish
and loving, though even our nearest friend prove selfish and cruel
to us. We must keep our spirits strong,
cheerful and hopeful, though adversities and misfortunes seem
to leave us nothing of the fruit of all our labours. In a word,
we are to live victoriously, truly, nobly, sweetly, cheerfully,
joyfully, in spite of whatever may be uncongenial in our condition. This is the lesson of all Christian
life. We should not let the outside
darkness into our soul. We should seek to be delivered
from all morbidness and all unwholesomeness we should not allow anything
to crush us. Remember, your task in living
is to keep sweet, to keep your heart gentle, brave, strong,
loving, full of hope, under the worst that the years can bring
you of injustice, hardship, suffering, and trial.