Tuesday, June 24
A Secret Eye
He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 1:31
Thomas Shepard (1606-1649), despite his early death at age 43, is remembered as one of America's foremost Puritans, a "soul-melting" writer, preacher, and educator.
In his writings, Shepard once confessed to battling a secret sin, that of wanting to be praised for his pulpit work. "On Sabbath morning," he wrote, "I saw that I had a secret eye to my own name in all that I did . . . . When I came home, I saw into the deep hypocrisy of my own heart, because in my ministry I sought to comfort and quicken the people that the glory might reflect on me as well as on God."
It isn't just Puritans and preachers who battle with that. Within each of us is a lurking desire to be admired and praised. The middle letter of pride is I; and even in Christian service, our motivations may be for self as well as for our Savior.
Paul said that not many wise, mighty, or noble people are chosen. God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and the weak things to confound the strong—so that no flesh should glory in His presence.
Those who glory should glory in the Lord.
Make this your last and best end—to live to Christ and to do His will.
Thomas Shepard
Read-Thru-the-Bible
Psalms 115:1 - 119:32
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