| Strength and Beauty |
Chapter 25 |
Page 6 |
The lesson is for those who are in life’s prime and for those who are advancing toward old age, as well as for the young. Every day that passes leaves life’s margin a little less for each of us. Our allotment of time is ever shortening. We must work while the day lasts. We must do good while our hearts are warm. We must speak the words of life before our lips grow dumb. We must scatter kindnesses in the world before our hands grow feeble. We must pour out love to bless the lonely before our pulses are stilled.
We must not crowd God’s work out of our busy days, hoping to have time for it by and by, when leisure comes. Ah! By and by it will be too late. Those who need us now will not need us then. The deeds of love which we should do today we cannot do tomorrow. The neighbor who now longs for our warm sympathy and gentle ministry will not need us when our tasks have been finished and we have leisure; there will be crape on the door then, and there will be no use in our calling with our word of love.
“When I have time, the friend I love so well
Shall know no more these weary toiling days.
I’ll lead her feet in pleasant paths always,
And cheer her heart with words of sweetest praise,
When I have time.
“When you have time!
The friend you hold so dear
May be beyond the reach of your sweet intent,
May never know that you so kindly meant
To fill her life with sweet content, When you have time.”
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