Living to Bless by Jessie M. Plumb

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Jul 8, 1913

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 40, No. 26.

Living to Bless

By Jessie M. Plumb

WHILE watching a canary one day and listening to its trills, the thought came to me, If so tiny a creature could make such sweet music, how much more beautiful music ought a human being to make! Not only the music, but also what pleasure we could give to all in thoughts, words, and deeds!

Some of us can not sing; but even as the birds make people happy by their singing, so can we make others happy by kind and loving words and deeds. A smile and a friendly word as we pass along our way lightens many a heavy load and also makes us happier.

But often, ah, how often, we omit these little acts of kindness when we are oppressed by our own cares and sorrows! Mayhap instead of a smile we give a frown, and in place of a kind word a sharp, angry reply which, afterward, hurts us far more than the person to whom it was addressed.

There is one stanza which, tho written for children, we would do well to remember:

"Little children, you should seek Rather to be good than wise, For the thoughts you do not speak Shine out in your cheeks and eyes."

Very often our "cheeks and eyes" tell only too plainly our thoughts. Therefore let us keep a watch on our thoughts and looks, as well as on our words.

When we are inclined to lament over some lost pleasure or weep over some sorrow, we should try to remember that—

"Laugh, and the world laughs with you, Weep, and you weep alone; For this sad old earth Must borrow its mirth But has troubles enough of its own!"

Oftentimes this is hard to do, for we are but human and therefore prone to sorrow and pain; but if we look to One above who knows all about it, we will find the burden less hard to bear.

Love, faith, hope, and charity are the key-notes of Christianity and also of great earthly happiness. Without love life is at best a dreary, empty dream; and without faith in God and each other we would soon forget how to love. Without hope of future happiness in heaven or here on earth, many a life weighed down by care and sorrow would become unbearable and the weary mortal would seek oblivion in death. Without charity this earth would be a hard place to live in, for we would judge each other harshly and cause great strife and sorrow by so doing. Every person has his or her faults, and whereas we now try to help uproot them or excuse them, without the kindly influence of charity we would drag them into view and condemn them.

We have, indeed, much to be thankful for if we would only "count our blessings."