A Life for Christ: What the Normal Christian Life Should Look Like

by Dwight L. Moody

You can find hundreds of such faultfinders among professed Christians, but all their criticism won’t lead a single soul to Christ. I’ve never preached a sermon yet that I couldn’t pick to pieces and find fault with. I feel Jesus Christ should have a far better representative than me. But I’ve lived long enough to discover there’s nothing perfect in this world. If you plan to wait until you find a perfect preacher or perfect meetings, I’m afraid you’ll have to wait until the millennium arrives. What we want is to be looking up to Jesus, so let’s be done with faultfinding. When I hear people complain in the way I’ve described, I say to them, “Come and do better yourself. Step up here and see what you can do.” It is so easy to find fault. It takes neither brains nor heart.

When God works, things will often be done outside the regular methods. It seems to me that’s a good thing, because apparently, some people can’t be reached through the regular channels – but they will come to revival meetings which are out of the usual routine. It’s true, we’ve got our churches, but we want to make an effort to reach the outlying masses who won’t step foot in a church.

Let’s not fall into the trap of finding fault because things aren’t done exactly like they’ve been done in the past, or like we think they ought to be done. I am sick and tired of those who constantly complain. Let’s pay no attention to them and move forward with the work God has given us to do.

If we love a person, we won’t be pointing out his failings all the time. It is said: Many rules of eloquence have been set forth, but, strange, to say, the first and most essential of all has been overlooked, namely, love. To address people fittingly they must be loved much. Whatever they may be, be they ever so guilty, or indifferent, or ungrateful, or however deeply sunk in crime, before all, and above all, they must be loved. Love is the sap of the gospel, the secret of lively and effectual preaching, the power of eloquence. The goal of preaching is to reclaim the hearts of men for God, and nothing but love can find out the mysterious avenues which lead to the heart. If then you do not feel a fervent love and profound pity for humanity, be assured that the gift of Christian eloquence has been denied you. You will not win souls, neither will you acquire that most excellent of earthly sovereignties − sovereignty over human hearts. An Arab proverb runs thus – “The neck is bent by the sword, but heart is only bent by heart.” Love is irresistible.[1]

God also wants His children to serve Him because of something other than duty. He doesn’t want us to feel it is difficult to do His will.

Where there is unity, strong faith, and expectation among Christians, a mighty work is always done.

Again, in these biblical accounts, we find faith is always followed by courage.

These four men in this gospel account were real workers. They were worth more than a houseful of these Pharisees and doctors of the law who came merely to look on and criticize.

Someone speaking the other day about work to be done said he hoped zeal would be tempered with moderation. Another friend wisely replied that he hoped moderation would be tempered with zeal.

My experience, as I’ve gone about in the world and mingled with professing Christians, has been that those who find the most fault with others are those who have nothing to do. If a person is busy improving the talents God has given him, he will have too much to do to find fault and complain about others.

The longer I work in Christ’s vineyard the more convinced I am that many people are kept out of the service of Christ − deprived of the luxury of working for God − because they are trying to do some great thing. Be willing to do little things. Remember that nothing is small when God is in it. Elijah’s servant came to him and told him he saw a cloud not larger than a man’s hand. That was enough for Elijah. Then Elijah said to Ahab, Go up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain (1 Kings 18:41). Elijah knew that the small cloud would bring rain. Nothing we do for God is small.

Reverend Dr. Willets, of Philadelphia, uses this beautiful illustration: “See that little spring issuing water from the earth just in view on the distant mountain, shining like a thread of silver through the thick grove, and sparkling like a diamond in its healthy activity. It is hurrying on with tinkling feet to bear its tribute to the river. See, it passes a stagnant pool, and the pool hails it. ‘Where are you going, master rivulet?’ “‘I am going to the river to carry this cup of water God has given me.’ “‘Ah, you are very foolish for that. You’ll need it before the summer’s over. Spring’s weather has been going the wrong way and we will have a hot summer to make up for it. You will dry up then.’ “‘Well,’ said the rivulet, ‘if I am to die so soon, I had better work while the day lasts. If I’m likely to lose this treasure from the heat, I’d better do good with it while I have it.’ So, on it went, blessing and rejoicing in its course. The pool smiled complacently at its own superior foresight, and managed all its resources, not letting a drop steal away. “Soon the midsummer heat came and fell upon the little stream, but the trees crowded to its brink and threw out their sheltering branches over it in the day of adversity, because it brought refreshment and life to them. The sun peeped through the branches and smiled complacently on its dimpled face as if to say, ‘It’s not in my heart to harm you,’ and the birds sipped the silver tide and sung its praises. “The flowers brea...

Let me say right here that we won’t do much toward reaching people until we make them love us.

I pity those Christians who always ask if they have to give up this thing and that thing. You won’t be asking that when you get a taste of the Lord’s work. Then you’ll have something the world can’t give you.

Do all the good you can, to all the people you can, in all the ways you can, and as long as ever you can.

What we want is to preach more sermons with our hands and feet − to carry the gospel to the people by acts of kindness.

Dr. Thomas Chalmers said: The little that I have seen in the world and know of the history of mankind, teaches me to look on their errors in sorrow, not in anger. When I take the one poor heart that has sinned and suffered, and think to myself the struggles and temptations it has passed through − the brief pulsation of joy, the tears of regret, the feebleness of purpose, the scorn of the world that has little love, the desolation of the soul’s sanctuary, threatening voices within, health gone, happiness gone − I would gladly leave the erring soul of my fellow man with Him from whose hands it came.

Quaker’s motto: “I expect to pass through this world but once. If, therefore, there be any kindness I can show or any good thing I can do to any fellow human being let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I will not pass this way again.”

And those that understand shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and those that teach righteousness to the multitude as the stars in perpetual eternity. (Daniel 12:3)

Proverbs we read: he that wins souls is wise (Proverbs 11:30). If any man, woman, or child wins one soul to God by a godly life and example, their life will not have been a failure. They will have outshone all the mighty men of their day, because they will have set a stream in motion that will flow on and on, forever and ever. That little boy may shine in God’s kingdom if he wants. God has left us down here to shine. We aren’t here to buy, sell, and accumulate worldly possessions and wealth, or acquire position. This earth, if we are Christians, is not our home. It

Don’t let Satan get the advantage over you and make you think that because you can’t do anything great, you can’t do anything at all. We are to let our light shine. It doesn’t say, “Make your light shine.” You don’t have to make light shine. All you have to do is let it shine.

Let’s go on turning as many as we can to righteousness. Let us be dead to the world, to its lies, its pleasures, and its ambitions. Let’s live for God, continually going forth to win souls for Him.