Servants and Heirs

“^ servant niust have soi7iethi7ig in ha7id he have his i)ay fro77i qua7’ter to qna7’ter, or from week to week. He is 7iot cxpecti7is to receive his 77iaste7’’s possessio7is, a7id, thc)-efo7’e, seeks a prese7it wage; but a7i heir waiteih till the estate falls in to hi7n, and looks not for present gai7is:’ Thus may we discern between the mere hireling and the true-born child: the one deserts the Lord’s service when it does not pay down on the nail; the other never expects reward till glory shall crown his labours. It is a sad thing for any sort of people when Jesus can say of them, “Verily, I say unto you, they have their reward.” They cannot expect to be paid twice, and as their account is discharged in full, what have they to look for .?

Blessed shall we be if we are enabled to imitate the example of the Lord Jesus, who served the Father in the spirit of Sonship. Love made him rise above all idea of present recompense:

he waited the Father’s time, and he still waits for his complete reward till the hour of his Second Advent shall arrive.

“A servant,” according to Job, *’ earnestly desireth the shadow’* of evening, when his task will be ended; “and the hireling looketh for the reward of his work”: this is nothing more than natural, for they have no interest in the work beyond their pay. But the heir loveth his father, and worketh and waiteth patiently, for the father saith to him, “All that I have is thine.’’ In serving the cause of God we are really serving ourselves, for we are partakers in this great cause, even as the interest of sons is one with that of their father. Can we not, therefore, “both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord”?