Minute Meditations

HUXLEY ONCE SAID, "The most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do when it ought to be done whether you want to do it or not."

Using this as a true evaluation it would seem reasonable then that all educated people would be religious. Unfortunately the contrary is true. There are exceptions to every rule but it seems that the more highly educated have less time for God than the humble folk.

This proves Paul's point when he said, "For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God," because "the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men."

With the increase of knowledge that is prevalent today we can become so absorbed in our own wisdom and our own petty problems that we completely fail to do what ought to be done when it ought to be done.

Let all of us, educated or not, learn the lesson that Huxley tells us we should learn, that of making ourselves do the thing we have to do when we ought to do it whether we want to do it or not.

Actually the difference between success and failure in almost any venture is the ability to do the right thing at the right time. This also illustrates the wisdom of Solomon who said "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die, etc." Too many of us put off doing the thing that is unpleasant or unappealing. True religion does not attract the natural man. Paul tells us that "the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." If we are wise, we will learn what we ought to do and do it. With this comes success. Some well educated men have applied this to business and have risen to great heights. How much more important for us to apply it to serving God. In the final analysis the only education really worth having is in God's law and the only worthwhile wisdom is Godly wisdom.

Too many have spent their lives without doing what they ought to have done for God and realized as they lay on their death bed that all the things they knew and all the money they had was of little use.

Let us remember our Creator NOW before the years draw near when we are no longer able to serve God. We must not use the lame old excuse that we haven't time. We have all the time there is, 24 hours every day, and no one has more or less than that. If we are honest with ourselves we must admit that we find time to do things we like to do. Let us follow Huxley's definition of the educated man and develop the ability to make ourselves do the thing we should do when it ought to be done. Now is the time to draw nigh unto God. At our death or the coming of the Lord it is too late.

"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest."

Like learning to eat asparagus, for which a taste has to be acquired, we discover that as we do what we ought to do we find we derive pleasure from it. There is no joy like godly joy and no pleasure on earth like the peace of God but we shall never experience it unless we begin and persevere.

By doing so, we, being made "free from sin and become servants to God, have our fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life."