^ No one enters into the life of Christ's discipleship who does not seek, not the renunciation only, but the very death of all his old low self and self-life. For life is far more than just ease ' J. I. Yaace, Tendency. 125.
ESTHER IV. 14 535
and gentleness, far more than confession and the endurance of the tests that God sends us. Life is a daily dying and rising — as the old lines run : —
As once toward heaven my face was set, I came unto a place where two ways met. One led to Paradise and one away ; And fearful of myself lest I should stray,
I paused that I might know Which was the way wherein I ought to go. The first was one my weary eyes to please, Winding along thro' pleasant fields of ease. Beneath the shadow of fair branching trees. " This path of calm and solitude Surely must lead to heaven," I cried.
In joyous mood. "Yon rugged one, so rough for weary feet, The foocpath of the world's too busy street, Can never be the narrow way of life." But at that moment I thereon espied A footprint bearing trace of having bled, And knew it for the Christ's, so bowed my head.
And followed where He led.
(3) Esther was tempted to the silence of sloth/ulness. To speak for the relief and deliverance of the Jews would involve strenuous endeavour. She feared to trample on her ease. Are we not all so tempted ? To serve the needy age is to forswear ease. Every great helper of the world has to cry, " Virtue is gone out of me." And we shrink from such self-depletion.
^ Very wonderful is the intimate connection, the subtle interaction, between the forces of our physical and our moral nature. It is one of the chief mysteries of our mysterious being. But it is not a mystery merely ; it is a fact of infinite practical significance which cannot be ignored without grave peril. The intelligent recognition of it would save many good people from much sorrow, as it would save others from grievous sin.
^ The moral d-egradation which comes from physical indolence is difficult to define. Most of us may thank God that the very circumstances of our life keep us safe from this sin. Few men can help working ; most men have to work hard. But sluggish- ness, an indisposition to make any exertion unless compelled to
536 OPPORTUNITY
make it, is sometimes to be met with even in this restless and active age, and in every social condition.^
^ During the formation of one of the lines of railway through the Highlands, a man came to the contractor and asked for a job at the works, when the following conversation took place : —
" Well, Donald, youVe come for work, have you ? and what can you do ? "
" Deed, I can do onything."
"Well, there's some spade and barrow work going on; you can begin on that."
" Ach, but I wadna just like to be workin' wi a spade and a wheelbarrow."
" 0, would you not ? Then yonder's some rock that needs to be broken away. Can you wield a pick ? "
" I wass never usin' a pick, whatefer."
" Well, my man, I don't know anything I can give you to do."
So Donald went away crestfallen. But being of an observing turn of mind, he walked along the rails, noting the work of each gang of labourers, until he came to a signal-box, wherein he saw a man seated, who came out now and then, waved a flag, and then resumed his seat. This appeared to Donald to be an occupation entirely after his own heart. He made enquiry of the man, ascertained his hours and his rate of pay, and returned to the contractor, who, when he saw him, good-naturedly asked :
" What, back again, Donald ? Have you found out what you can do ? "
" Deed, I have, sir. I would just like to get auchteen shullins a week, and to do that," holding out his arm and gently waving the stick he had in his hand.^
11.
If We fail God gets His Work done in some OTHER Way.
A
"Then shall relief and deliverance arise to the Jews from another ft.
place." ,|.
1. Mordecai had evidently drunk deeply of the spirit of the history of Israel. Israel was the people of God ; the possessor of the promises of God, which had not reached their fulfilment ; and
1 R. W. Dale.
* Sir A. Geikie, Scottish Reminiscences, 24.
ESTHER IV. 14 537
sooner could the pillars of the heavens fall than these be broken. Mordecai believed that God watched over Israel night and day ; many a time had He delivered her, when everything appeared desperate and the help of man had utterly failed ; and the record of God's faithfulness in the past gave the assurance that in some way of His own He would prevent the extinction of His people.
2. There is wonderful encouragement in Mordecai's message. Somehow God's great delivering work shall be done ! We cannot see how, but it shall yet be. All things are possible to omni- potence. EeUef and deliverance shall arise from another place. Incapacitated workers may be comforted by this assurance. The work shall not finally suffer through a particular worker's dis- ablement.