The Penn's Grove record., 1916-05-05
GODS BEST GIFTS
Material Wealth and Earthly
Prosperity Not All That May
Bring Happiness to Man.

ton and even complaint that the gifts
which God gives to some are withheld
from others. 1t may appear that those
who are most faithful to God are often
at a disadvantage. One case which Ia
an illustration of thousands of others
is his method of dealing with Jacob
and Esau. HE gave to Esau Mount
SER to possess it, but Jacob and his
children went down into Egypt" From
some points of view Esau had much
the better fortune.
In some cases God gives to men
what they are able to appreciate. II
they think that material wealth is
chiefly to be desired, he may give
them that. Esau put earthly posses
sions and comforts first; he was ready
to exchange the birthright and bless
ing, which were spiritual, for a mess
of pottage. So he was given what no
could appreciate. Mount SER may
have been rich in mineral deposits,
and there may have been the most fer
tile soil in the valleys; at any rate he
became one of the rich and powerful
men of his day.
But Jacob put the higher value on
spiritual possessions. Above every
thing else he wanted the birthright
and blessing, although he must have
known that in gaining them he might
be compelled to leave home and for
felt his share of his fathers estate.
He appreciated spiritual gifts, so God
sent him into Egypt. AS a result of
that experience his race came to know
God and developed a type of charac-
ter which has made them unique
among the nations of the earth.
The favor of God often bestows on
men today what they are able to ap-
preciate. Those whose chief ambition
in life is to gain wealth, may be I'M
usually prospered. But the people
who have large wealth are not always
to be envied. That may be all that is
given TO them. Mr.. Spurgeon said,
God thinks little of those things,
therefore he gives them to those Of
whom he thinks little. About the most
tragic thing which could be said about
any man is the statement made about
Esau, God gave him Mount Seir,'" and
that was all he gave him. The rich
man in the parable was given a plenty
which filled his barns to the bursting.
But he was lot given anything else.
He was not given life to enjoy his
prosperity, and he went into the other
life with a pauper soul. Those who
put the highest value on material
prosperity, if they get such prosperity
get that and nothing more. But those
who put the highest value upon spir-
itual gifts and earnestly seek for them
are sure to gain them"
Gods Wisdom In His Gifts.
But God does lot always give to men
what they most appreciate. If so,
there would not be an unhappy person
in the world. The common idea of
happiness is to be in possession of the
things most desired. But the world is
filled with unhappy people, with those
who have not been given what they
long for.
There is therefore another principle
which determines the distribution Of
Gods gifts. He gives to each indi-
vidual what will best serve his plan
for the life of that individual. God
intended to make out of Esau a great
nation, and to accomplish that purpose
he gave him Mount SER. The deserts
which encircled that district would
make the tribe of Esau immune from
attack, and the rock heights would
make defense easy if attacks came.
The fertile valleys would support a
large population. Mount SER was a
favorable location for the development
of a great nation.
But Gods purpose for Jacob was diff
ferent and therefore his dealings with
Jacob were different. The greatness
of Jacob was to consist in a knowledge
of God, in lofty moral and spiritual
ideals, in the hope of a Messiah who
would save from sin. The experience
of Egypt and the wilderness were nee
essary to bring about those attain
ments of life and faith. Nowhere so
well as in Egypt could they have
learned the power of God. Nowhere
so we'll as in the wilderness could they
learn their absolute dependence upon
God. The law given at Mt. Sinai made
a deeper impression than if it had
been given in Canaan. Jacob could
hardly have chosen the exile and
bondage of Egypt. but God gave him
that because it best suited mis- plan for
Jacobs life.
The method of God in distributing
his gifts surprises men only because
they do not understand his purpose
for them. They do not always get
what they desire and appreciate, but
they get what will accomplish Gods
purpose. If they are led into some
Egypt and through some wilderness
if they are not given those things
which bring immediate comfort, it Is