God's Sabbath

404

E NTERING INTO G OD ’ S S ABBATH R EST

millions. Most are content to expend no more effort than they are obliged to, being satisfied with a mediocre or even impov erished existence, where instead they might be rich in devel oped talents and increased abilities. By this indolence, they rob themselves, their fellows, and the Lord who made them. Some would excuse themselves by claiming that, in their lim ited circumstances, they are deprived of the opportunity to devel op as they might. It is true that some will never see their full po tential in certain directions because of constraints imposed on them by financial difficulties or restricted conditions, but all are afforded the opportunity to become highly proficient in some line, no matter how unimportant it might seem. If nothing else, we should labor at cultivating a cheerful disposition until, no matter how dark and stormy the situation around might be, we will lighten the darkness with the sunshine of a radiant personality. The story is told of a poor boy who worked on a New York side walk shining shoes. There were hundreds of other boys doing the same thing, but while they were content with a mere me chanical performance, this lad studied diligently to improve his skills. He was not motivated by a competitive spirit, nor by the ambition to rise to a better position, for he saw no hope of ever escaping from his lowly occupation. He was simply determined to learn all he could and to render the best possible service. He gained considerable knowledge by studying the various types of shoe-leather on which he worked, and observing how the different types responded to polishing. As opportunity af forded, he slipped into the public library and read all he could find on hides, tanning, leather, shoemaking, and so forth. Back on the street he applied his growing knowledge to his work, while aiming to be the best shoeblack possible. The fact that the average person took him for granted, being unaware of the effort he was investing in his work, did not dis courage him. Day after day, he sought to increase his knowledge and to sharpen his skills in a trade which the other boys regard ed as being unworthy of the effort. They believed they could Making the Most of our Opportunities