Chapter 21: Stay Where You Are
Chapter 21: Stay Where You Are
"Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called." - 1 Cor. 7:20.
WHEN THE APOSTLE wrote his first Epistle to Corinth, the church there was full of unrest. The inspiration of a new life was breathing through the world, like the warm breath of spring among icebergs, those natural temples of the far North; and beneath its touch venerable structures that had withstood centuries of violence showed signs of disintegration. The tyranny of man over woman was doomed, when it appeared that in Christ there was no distinction between male and female, but that the salvation of a woman's soul was as precious to Him, and cost as much, as that of a man. The great Jewish system of temple, priesthood, and sacrifice was doomed, when it was realized that approach to God might be direct, and without the mediation of priest or the offering of sacrifice. The iniquitous slavery which accounted men as chattels, and prevailed in the most degrading form, was doomed, when it was recognized that the slave had rights which no purchase-money could cancel; that he was his master's equal in the sight of God; and that the one standard before the Eternal Throne was character.
Times of transition are apt to breed a licence of individual action, which is mistaken for liberty. It was so in the French Revolution, that closed the 18th century, and there are clear signs that the same tendency is asserting itself amid that momentous revolution through which the present century is coming to its close. Not otherwise was it when Paul wrote his letters to Corinth, and to other churches. The ancient landmarks were being removed, and the bands of society slackened. What wonder, then, that men thought the time had come for escaping from every yoke that chafed, from every burden that galled. There was a strong tendency to hold the marriage tie lightly; to attempt abrupt and revolutionary changes in church relations; and, above all, to anticipate the result of those social changes, which were slowly taking shape. Against all these the apostle strenuously set himself (I Cor. vii. 10-24).
His one advice was, "Stay as you are." If a believer is married to an unbeliever, so long as the latter is willing to abide in the marriage tie, let it be carefully and honourably maintained. Whatever was done, the home-life must be watchfully guarded, for the sake of each and of the children. Let not the Christian Jew be eager to cast aside all the religious restraints and sacred associations of the old Hebrew religion; and let not the Gentile convert be in a hurry to adopt the rites and usages of the Old Testament ritual, since it was waxing old and was ready to vanish away. Let not the slave adopt any revolutionary methods to become free, nor plot for the overthrow of the system of society which lay so heavy a yoke on him and his class. Each was urged to abide in the calling in which he was called. There are lessons here for us all.
As To The Home-Life - Very often the ties of the home-life seem very irksome to young people. They fret at the duties they have to perform, the hours they have to keep, the arbitrary restraint to which they have to submit. Then they get restless, and want to get away; or they become taciturn and sullen, shutting themselves up as far as possible in a shell. In some towns in England there is a growing tendency on the part of young people to leave their parents home, and take lodgings for themselves. This is a serious mistake. It is not fair to those who have sacrificed much for long years when no return was possible; and it evades the blessed discipline of the home-life, which is of priceless value to us all.
What the angel of God said to Hagar, I would repeat to all those who are meditating escape from uncongenial conditions, "Return and submit"; even though dispositions chafe and irritate, and the bit hurts the tender mouth. Of course, there may be cases in which God has clearly shown that it is his will for the stern discipline to cease, and has opened a door of escape. In that case, the apostle tells us by all means to use it (21); but if the door is not open, we are not to force it; if the yoke is not broken, we are not to shirk it. When God says, "Go forth free," we have no hesitation in obeying; but we must always distrust the dictates of our own choice and caprice.
How knowest thou that thou hast not been placed in that home to save the children; to win the younger brothers and sisters for God; to turn the heart of some disobedient one to the wisdom of the just? Stay there, then, till God says your work is done, and you are at liberty to go elsewhere to be a vessel for his holy use.
As To The Church-Life - On the whole it is best to remain in the church in which we received our earliest religious impressions. It is, speaking generally, detrimental to the best interests of the religious life to be perpetually shifting, seeking new pastures, and running from one church to another. We may sometimes have to go forth as a protest, or we may be driven out; but in such cases our course is generally clear and unmistakable, if we seek to act as the glory of Christ and the interests of his kingdom demand.
As To Our Spheres Of Daily Life - "Brethren, let each man, wherein he was called, therein abide with God." We often hear of "the call" to the ministry, or a woman's vocation to be a nurse, and attach a sacred significance to the words. But we speak more lightly of a man's "calling," and hardly realize how much meaning underlies the phrase. Let each of us believe that our daily business is the result of a Divine call. The call may have come through the choice of a parent, the prompting of our own desire, a newspaper advertisement, or what may seem chance; but behind it and through it lay the choice and call of God. Dare to believe this, and that you are in the direct line of obedience, when you come to the duties that ring out their summons as each day returns.
Called by God to be a physician or a surgeon; called to make chairs or boots; called to be a domestic servant or a labourer; called to be a merchant or a mechanic, He who called Isaiah to be a prophet has called thee; and all that thou hast to do is to abide in Him, to count on his companionship and fellowship, to do all as beneath his eye and for his approval; and whilst doing the most trivial duties to be each day growing sweeter, stronger, nobler.
The other day I saw some novices taking lessons in bicycling. They were round and round the same track, but at each circuit they were improving in their knowledge and use of their machines. So in common life we may have to do the same thing with monotonous repetition; but in the meanwhile we may be growing in grace and the knowledge of God. If God opens the door to something else, of course use it. But if not, do not fret or chafe. Even if others pass thee, keep quiet and humble, and go on preparing thyself for thy great opportunity; and when it suddenly comes to thee, as it came to Joseph, thou wilt be prepared by thy behaviour in the prison to pass to the palace with its larger opportunities.