Daily Devotion

“You go out to a village and sit down by a group. The people are always keen to hear, and so friendly. … and you have the fullest opportunity of telling the story which always seems to be better for the telling—the story of the Cross. … God grant that every cubic inch of one's being may be used to tell of Jesus and His love … The time is short, and we have only one life to lay at the feet of our Master.”

Stanley Peregrine Smith · Letter from P'ing-yang Fu, Shansi (1885), in B. Broomhall, ed., The Evangelisation of the World: A Missionary Band (1887), p. 46

Scripture

Acts 20:24 But I consider my life neither precious nor valuable, only to finish my course and complete the ministry I have received from the Lord Jesus, as a testimony to the good news of God’s grace.

Reflection

Stanley Smith willingly gave up his promising future and comfort at Cambridge because he saw the immeasurable value of the soul in Christ. We often mistake dedication for sacrifice, and worldly comfort and fame for priceless treasures, neglecting the true abundance of eternity. When the Gospel illuminates a desperate life, the light emanating from the depths of the soul is enough to extinguish all the fleeting glory of the world. Today, where should my gaze be fixed? Am I willing to relinquish my current control and calculations, and allow the heart of Christ to love the souls around me?