In all you do be the servant of Christ, forgetting yourself—engrossed with Him.
We need readiness of heart, and skilfulness of hands, to serve the church of God aright.
Service to Christ
There is much that the Lord’s true servants do which no human eye takes knowledge of. What they do they are to do as to the Lord, and to look for reward from Him; learning also to have fellowship with Christ in His sufferings and service.
It is our wisdom not to seek praise of men: if, in our intercourse with saints, rather than look after a good name, we seek to approve ourselves to God, a good name will surely follow us.
Look not at the quantity, but at the quality of your service, whatsoever that service may be. If it be preaching, preaching is not the first thing: the heart must first be kept; then two or three words spoken in the power of the Spirit may avail more than many a long discourse.
Forgiveness
Peter said to our Lord, “How oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him, until seven times?” (Matt. 18:21.22.) What warrant had Peter for saying, “How oft?” Had he been standing at the foot of Mount Sinai, he might have said, “How oft?” Standing in the covenant of grace, we say, “Seventy times seven.”
If we be called to judge offending brethren, we should judge before the Mercy-seat. There we are self-judged, as oft offending and oft forgiven.
Those injuries are often hardest to forgive which are only known to the injured and the wrong-doer.