The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 371

at all, it is to consider what they ml\y get from him for their o'wn advantao-e, Aby idea of sacrificing t.hetnselves to God and rendering him disinterested service hae neve~ de.wucd upon their consciousness. But when a true Christian spirit is aroused in tho hea.rt of n. man, he must look beyond himself; he must dusire to show hie gratitude to God by some act of service ; he must wish in some way to be profitable to God. It will be 11, pain to him to find that he can only receive bounties from God and can never render him any return. 'l'hus there will 11.rise within him 11,n earnest question as to whether indl'ed he can do anything that will really be useful to God. II. 'l'HE DIFFICULTIES OF TH'E QUESTION, These come from two main sources- from rnRn's littleness, and from God's greatness. 1. Man's Uttlene.~s. (1) In know- ledge. How cnn we discover what will be profitable to God? Have not m:en often done for religion what has really neither pleased God nor helped his cause? (2) In power. We are limitod, imperfect, feeble creatures. All we have is directly derived from the gooduess of God. How, then, can we find means with which to give him back any i,crvice? (3) In goodness. Sin rnars all we touch. Our sacrifice is defiled, our service i;g corrupt. We do not approach him with clean hands and pure hcnrts. How, then, can he accept our service? 2. G~d's greatness. It would seem that our slight· service would be simply lost in the va,t sea of Divine activities. It would be like a· drop of water added to the ocean. Indeed, it would be no real addition; for God is infinite, his resources are boundless. He ce.n do all things without an effort. 'l'herefore he cannot need our service. III. Tm: POSSIBLE SOLUTION 'OF 'THE QUESTION. Even if we cannot find this we ehould believe that it exists, because God calls us to serve him; and he would not· do so if effective service were impossible. He could not desire us to waste our strength in· work which was exhausting to ourselves and yet not useful to him, while we were simply aiming at serving him in obedience to his comme.nd. That would be a.cruci mockery. Therefore we must believe that God does account our service profitable, Further, there are some ways in which we can see that it is so. 1. Through the love of God. The parent is delighted to receive the small ministries of his child, though he does not absolutely need them, and though they may really cost him more in :first furnishing the means and then helping the accomplishment, than they are worth when regarded from a commercial standpoint. But love adds a value of its own. God delights to receive the service of his children. He waits for it and me.kes it valuable· by the condescension which gives it a place in his plans. 2. By helping our fellojo• men. We serve God when we serve our human brothers. Though in the infinity- of bis resources he does not le.ck anything, they lack many things. Yet God rejoices iu what benefits 11.ny of his creatures. Thus we may become profitable to God by being pmfit,ble to our neighbours (Matt. x:x:v, 40).-W. F. A. Ver. 7.-Help for the medy. 1. Tum IB !i'ATDlU.L; God has made us mutually oependeut on one another. In social order there is an interchange of service, e.nd the general life of the community is simply maintained by people helping one another. 'l'he cases of extreme distress are those in which the reciprocity breaks down because the hungry and helpless ce.n make no return for what they receive. Still they are part of the body, and if" one member suffer, all the members suffer with it" (1 Cor. xii. 26). The "solidarity of m.e.n" is such that the needy are naturally dependent on others for maintenance. • II. Tms IS SIMPLE. Only water and bread are here referred to. These are the most necessary things ; but they are also the most accessible.· A· poor man who cannot gjve the smallest coin to a beggar may yet offer a cup of cold water. • Of course, true sympathy will lead us to desire to help up to the utmost of our powers. But a very great amount of distress might be alleviated without a proportionate expenditure of money; e.g. penny, halfpenny, and even farthing dinners for children give an aesist- Ance fa.r beyond what their cost suggests. • • III. Tms IS UNCONDITIONAL. At least the one oondition is need. We have not t.o consider merits when we relieve extreme distress. Water- to the thirsty and bread to the starving should be given at tlle mere sight of extreme need, though the recipients are quite undelerving. This we admit by our poor-law. As soo.n ail the immediate and preuing needs are supplied, other and more difficult questions must be ~oijaidered. OIL xxn. 1-80.J THE BOOK Oft' ,JOB. 885