Seeking the Good of His People, and Speaking
The sermon emphasizes the importance of seeking the good of others and speaking peace to them, and provides practical ways to apply these principles in daily life.
F.B. Meyer emphasizes the importance of seeking the good of others and speaking peace into their lives. He encourages adopting a mindset of self-sacrifice and thoughtfulness, suggesting that small acts of kindness can prepare hearts for the Gospel. Meyer highlights the need to soothe troubled souls with words of sympathy and to maintain a law of kindness in our speech. He urges listeners to actively pursue peace and allow God's peace to guard their hearts and minds. Ultimately, he calls for a collective effort to uplift those around us, reflecting the love of Christ.
Text
Seeking the good of his people, and speaking
peace to all his seed. Esther x. 3 (R.V.).
THIS epitaph on the life of a simple‑minded, truehearted man, might be yours also. Why should you not from this moment adopt these, twin characteristics? Go about the world seeking the good of people. It does not always mean that you should give them a tract, or a little book. It is much easier to do this than to sacrifice your own good in order to seek theirs. You may be quite sure that some little act of self‑sacrifice or thoughtfulness for a weary mother, or crying child, for a sick friend, or for some person who is always maligning and injuring you, would do a great deal in the way of preparing an entrance for the Gospel message. It is thus that the genial spring loosens the earth and prepares the way for the germination of multitudinous life. Count the day lost in which you have not sought to promote the good of some one. Adopt as your own the pious Quaker's motto, "Do all the good you can, to all the people you can, in all the ways you can."
Speak peace to people. ‑‑ Soothe agitated and irritated souls. Throw oil on troubled waters. There are worried and anxious hearts all around us; a word of sympathy and earnest prayer with them will often remove the heavy load, and smooth out the wrinkles of care. Let the law of kindness be on your lip. Do not say sharp or unkind things of the absent, or allow your lips to utter words that will lead to bitterness or wrath. Seek peace and pursue it. And in order to this, let the peace of God that passeth all understanding keep your mind and heart.
"Come, my beloved! We will haste and go
To those pale faces of our fellow‑men!
Our loving hearts, burning with summer‑fire,
Shall cast a glow upon their pallidness."
Sermon Outline
- Seeking the Good of Others
- Speaking Peace to Others
- The Law of Kindness
- The importance of gentle words
- The danger of sharp or unkind words
Key Quotes
“Do all the good you can, to all the people you can, in all the ways you can.” — F.B. Meyer
“Come, my beloved! We will haste and go To those pale faces of our fellow-men!” — F.B. Meyer
“Our loving hearts, burning with summer-fire, Shall cast a glow upon their pallidness.” — F.B. Meyer
Application Points
- Make it a point to seek the good of others in your daily life by doing small acts of self-sacrifice.
- Practice speaking peace to others by being gentle and considerate in your words and actions.
- Cultivate the peace of God in your life by seeking to understand it and allowing it to keep your mind and heart.