January 15

Bring him hither to Me. — Matt 17:17

Visions are given to prepare for tasks. At the foot of the Transfiguration Mount a father was waiting with his distressed boy to have him healed. While we are sitting in rapture at the Lord’s Supper somebody is outside with a great need. We do not know how often we fail to help those in need or trouble because we have not enough faith. Jesus is the strong Son of God, and there is nothing He cannot do.

We ought to make the most we can of our life and do all the good we can. It is wrong for any of us, with our splendid abilities, to stay in “contented insignificance.” The Master wants us to be great and to do great things. But there are mistaken opinions about what it is to be great. Jesus’ disciples thought if they held high positions in the world they would be great. Jesus told them that childlikeness was the highest greatness. We are greatest when we are not aware of being great at all. Simplicity, trust, the absence of ambition, contentment – these are marks of greatness.