"FOR what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose
his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Mat.
16, 26.)
The first thought is that of _the infinite worth of the soul_.
In one scale of the balance Jesus places all the world with its gold
and gems, its art and science, its limitless values of woods and
prairie soil--and in the other, a human soul. And then He says: Behold
all this splendor! Look at it all, thou yearning child of man! It is
not equal to the worth of your soul.
Everything great and beautiful in life originates in the human soul.
Through that, all noble thoughts and great ideas have come into being.
Every work of art was formed in a human soul before it was painted upon
the canvas, chiseled in marble, or written in a book. It is the stamp
of the human soul that lends value to the work.
Revere that _mark of the soul_ wherever you recognize it! But have
reverence, above all, for the _soul_ itself. That has the worth of
infinity. To "lose your soul" is to suffer everlasting damage which
cannot be repaired or substituted by values of the world.
The other thought is that about _exchange for your soul_.
Wherever that precious soul is demanded of you, you can give nothing
else in _exchange_. There is nothing in the whole, wide world that has
value enough as exchange for a human soul. Neither is there anything
whose value can equal that of the mark of your soul upon your work.
If you owe your neighbor ten bushels of wheat, you may pay him back
by giving him twenty bushels of corn or cash in exchange, and he will
realize that he is paid in full. But this cannot be done where rests
upon you the giving of your soul.
This first of all you must consider in your relation to God who gave
you your soul. He will demand it from you when your earthly life has
ended. If your soul then is seen to have suffered corruption, it is
not fit to enter into eternal life, and you have nothing else to give
God in its place. It avails you nothing that you say: "O, Lord, I know
that I have been so occupied with worldly things that I have not taken
care of my soul, as I should have done. But, in this way I have made
$10,000 which I now donate to missionary work."--My dear, that cannot
compensate for the wrong that has been inflicted upon your soul.
David understood this. Therefore he said to God: "For thou desirest
not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt
offering." But God delights in a prayer like this: "Have mercy upon me,
O God, according to thy lovingkindness; according unto the multitude of
thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from
mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!" There is a human soul in
this prayer--it is true that it is a suffering soul--but it is there.
Thus God demands that your soul be in your _prayer_, your _praise_, and
your _worship_, and there is nothing else that can take its place.
The worship of the Pharisee was perfect, from the point of form.
Everything was done according to rules and regulations. But it was
_soulless_. Therefore, Jesus condemns it. But where He hears the prayer
or sees the tears of repentant sinners, He stands still. There he
stoops, and in their wailing and stammering worship He beholds a human
soul that has suffered wrongs--one, perhaps, which is deeply tainted.
But the soul is there, and it has worth to Him. He can heal all the
wounds of the soul. And where the wounds of the soul are being healed,
worship takes place. But, then, the human soul must take part.
* * * * *
This is true, also, in worldly things. Where your soul is demanded of
you, you can give nothing else in barter for it.
You may give your wife food and shelter, dresses and footwear, but
that is not enough. She has a right to your soul. Golden rings and
splendid dresses cannot take its place. But if you do give her your
soul--in smiling joy or in a burst of weeping--she will cling unto you
with everlasting rejoicing in her heart. In this devotion she will
recognize infinite worth.
Or your children! You may give them a good education, may even leave
them a substantial legacy. But what God above all else demands of you,
is that you give them your soul--a father's soul and a mother's soul,
which they can learn to honor and to love. To give them a substantial
legacy as an equivalent to this spiritual partnership is to give them
stones where bread is wanted.
* * * * *
Remember, then, your soul's infinite worth--remember that wherever
it be demanded of you, in your relations to God or men: You can give
nothing in its place.
There is nothing in this world which is valuable enough to take the
place of the human soul.