THE CANDIDATES FOR GOD’S SERVANTS

When you are forgotten or neglected

Or purposely set at naught

And you do not sting and hurt at the oversight,

But your heart is happy,

Being counted worthy to suffer for Christ,

THAT IS DEATH TO SELF.

When you’re good is evil spoken of,

When your wishes are crossed,

your advice disregarded, Your opinions ridiculed,

And you refuse to let anger rise in your heart,

or even Defend yourself

But take it all in patient loving silence,

THAT IS DEATH TO SELF.

When you lovingly and patiently bare any disorder,

Any irregularity, any unpunctuality, or any annoyance,

When you can stand face to face with waste,

Folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility

And endure it as Jesus endured it,

THAT IS DEATH TO SELF.

When you are content with any food,

Any raiment, any climate,

Any society, any solitude,

And any interruption by the will of God,

THAT IS DEATH TO SELF.

When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation,

Or to record your own good works,

Or itch after commendation

When you can truly love to be unknown,

THAT IS DEATH TO SELF.

When you can receive correction and reproof

From one of less stature than yourself

And can humbly submit inwardly as outwardly,

Finding no rebellion or resentment

rising up within your heart,

THAT IS DEATH TO SELF