1912 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

in self or the arm of flesh, but in Him who is able to dofor them exceedingly, abundantly, more than they couldask or think, according to the riches of His grace inChrist Jesus our Lord.Here note the Apostle's exhortation that a man "thinkof himself not more highly than he ought, but thinksoberly," according to the measure of God's grace bestowedon him. (Rom. 12:3.) If any man has receivednone of God's grace, favor, mercy, forgiveness, surelyit is not because he did not need it. Let him thereforefeel his poverty without it. If any man has receivedmuch of God's grace it was because he needed it. Hetherefore may boast, but not of himself. His boast maywell be in God who is thus working in him "to will andto do of His good pleasure."--Phil. 2:13.LACK OF SELF-APPRECIATIONThis deficiency operates in many ways not generallysuspected. Many a man is a beggar or a thief simplybecause of a lack of self-appreciation. He thinks, I amnobody--and everybody knows it. He hangs his head inself-shame. He has a guilty look without having committedcrime. He is treated according to his estimateof himself as expressed in his acts and looks, all of whichreflect unconsciously his mental picture of himself.When some, measuring him by his looks, declare: Youare a mean man, a rascal, a thief, a scoundrel; I can seeit--I can read you through and through! the effect is tothoroughly discourage him. Accepting the rating of hisown brain and its reflection in the words of others hebecomes rascal, scoundrel, thief. Few there are ofbenevolent heart to see the trouble of this class andsympathetically to give an encouraging word--to turn thescale and help bring forward the better qualities of themind and heart.It is here that the Gospel of Jesus does for such whatnothing else could do. The Master's voice rings out inR5114 : page 320contrast with all other voices saying: Come unto Me, allye that labor and are heavy laden and discouraged; I willgive you rest. Ye shall find rest unto your souls!Ah, the change! The discouraged one says, Then Iam not beyond hope; not so mean, not so degraded thatJesus would pass me by. The very suggestion inspiresnew hope. If followed, it leads on and on to the richesof God's grace provided in Christ for the penitent, thewilling, the obedient.By the time such a man receives the begetting of theHoly Spirit and is able to cry, "Abba, Father!" old thingspass away and all things become new. However, hisfleshly weaknesses and unworthiness may still continuallycry, You are unworthy; however, still in humility, he mayacknowledge this with groans and tears, he is not cast