The Discipline of Dependability

''It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth'' (Lam. 3:27)

   The strength, or weakness, of mature years, is determined largely in the days of youth. The dependability or irresponsibility, the sturdiness or vacillation of character, the sunshine or shadow of personality, the strength or weakness of body, are dependent to a very considerable degree upon what we do, or refrain from doing, in the relatively carefree and formative Springtime of our life. God needs strong men and women, who can bear heavy burdens in dark and difficult days; and they can do so, if they have borne the yoke in their youth.

   To be unaccustomed to the dependable performance of duties, sometimes perhaps irksome and monotonous, is to be unprepared for the stern realities of life and the stirring service of God. It is no kindness to us that we are allowed to idle away our time, to trifle with our tasks, to quit when we are so minded, to neglect the knowledge of the eternal Word of God and the knowledge of the ages, to work below the level of our ability so that we are

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satisfied with the mediocre, and to grow up irresponsible, irritable, and immature.

   To bear the yoke in one's youth is to become accustomed early to do with cheerfulness one's share of duties, however small that may be at first, to complete one's assignment conscientiously and thoroughly, even though no one sees us, to profit by one's mistakes and to take correction gratefully, to serve for the love of service rather than for reward. To bear the yoke in youth is to be able to bear burdens in later years, and to bring glory thereby unto God.

   David, the shepherd boy of Bethlehem who became the king of Israel, illustrates admirably the discipline of dependability. He is not alone in this regard, for we could consider with similar profit the preparatory period of Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Esther, or Paul, to mention only a few but David serves our purpose well.

   He had the great fundamental, the basic essential of any useful and effective life, i.e., a heart that loved God. The Almighty had put Saul, the first king of Israel, to the test, and found him to be lacking in the necessary qualifications of dependability and endurance under strain; and had said, ''The Lord hath sought him a man after his own heart, . . .to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the Lord commanded thee'' (I Sam. 13:14). On a later occasion it was said to Saul, ''Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the

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voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, . . . For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry'' (I Sam. 15:22,23). Saul's heart was self-centered and selfish, and the course of his whole life determined thereby.

   David was ''a man after God's own heart'' (Ps. 89:20; Acts 13:22). When Samuel, the Judge of Israel, was sent to Bethlehem to anoint one of Jesse's sons to be the next king of the realm, he was impressed very favorably by the appearance and bearing of Eliab, David's oldest brother, and said, ''Surely the Lord's anointed is before him'' (I Sam. 16:6). The Lord's reply to His servant is very significant, ''Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him; the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart'' (16:7). We are impressed by good looks, tall stature, gracious manners, and these are valuable to have; but they are no substitute for a heart that loves God. Not until David, the youngest of eight brothers, stood before Samuel was it said by the Lord, ''Arise, anoint him: for this is he'' (16:12).

   The ''heart'' is the great fundamental; for it is we ourselves, what we really are. Because our natural heart is sinful (Matt. 15:19), provision is made for us, in that, ''A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will

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give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes . . .'' (Ezek. 36:26,27). It is the pure in heart that see God (Matt. 5:8). It is ''with the heart that man believeth unto righteousness'' (Rom. 10:10). We are told to ''keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life'' (Prov. 4:23). A new heart, good, genuine and gracious is the sine qua non of the happy and effective life.

   Not all young people know their future so clearly as did David (I Sam. 16:13). However dimly he may have perceived the intent of Samuel's visit and the contrast of the anointing ceremony, he was conscious that in some way, at a distant day, he would become king of his people. Some young men and women learn early in life what they should do with their life: Joseph knew he was called to be a statesman (Gen. 37:5-11); Joshua, to be a military leader (Num. 27:18-23); John, to be a forerunner for the Lord Jesus (Luke 1:76,77; John 1:22,23). Others did not learn until late in life (but in plenty of time for their real service): Moses at the burning bush (Exod. 3:1-10), Simon Peter on the beach of Bethsaida (Luke 5:1-11), Saul of Tarsus at the Damascus gate (Acts 9:1-6).

   How many of life's problems and perplexities would be solved for young people if they just knew what the Most High would have them to be. They envy secretly those who are definite in the design of life's pattern: the ministry, the mission field, teaching, nursing, the professions, farming; for they do

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not know the mind of the Lord that clearly.

   What plans should they make? What major should they elect in college? What electives should they choose? What employment should they seek in the summer, as a part of preparation for life? Whether they know their life's calling or not, the most important consideration about the future is to do faithfully what is before them today, for the discipline of dependability demands tasks thoroughly done. Doing their duty today will not leave them in darkness indefinitely. The light will come! (Psalm 112:4; Job 22:28; 23:8-12). Faithfulness leads to fulfillment of dreams, not futility; dependability, to delight of duty.

   David was faithful in the tasks assigned to him, and in the extra opportunities which were available. He was required to care for his father's sheep, a menial and uninspiring routine. He practised on his harp upon his own initiative; and he applied himself with good zeal to both opportunities. We know something of his faithfulness to his father in his fearlessness of the lion and bear that attacked his flock (I Sam. 17:34,35). We need more of that devotion in the duties assigned to children and young people, devotion that will stick to the job despite lions of laziness and bears of boredom. Loyalty to parents and employers, at the risk of loss to ourselves, leads to gain over Goliaths in the large conflicts of later life (I Sam. 17:36-51).

   It was his attention to the unrequired, the extra-curricular avocation of playing a harp that startles

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us out of our complacency. He could have contented himself with a passing effort to acquire an indefinite acquaintanceship with a few chords. On the contrary, he learned to play ''well'' (I Sam. 16:17,18). Perhaps the other shepherd boys derided him for the long hours of practice necessary to mastery of his instrument; and, perhaps they were secretly envious of his skill? However that may be, the hour came that the king needed a skillful harpist; and the shepherd of Bethlehem was that boy.

   One of the greatest defeats in the modern training of youth is that accomplishment is not stressed sufficiently. Our lads and lassies study after a fashion, know some arithmetic but not the multiplication tables, play an instrument only passably, read occasionally and write indifferently, work passively without inquisitiveness into what they are doing or imagination as to how they could be more effective. They can do most things ''just a little,'' but nothing ''well.'' The world is looking for the man or woman who can do at least one thing, and be a master of it.

   Not infrequently today there is repeated the experience of David in that the mastery of one accomplishment made an open door to wider service. The king needed a good harpist! Who would have thought that the painstaking practice on a harp before a few sheep in the wilderness would lead to the court of a king? One remembers a young woman that dusted the office well, which accomplishment led to confidence that she would make a good counsellor for a children's camp, which opportunity in

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turn led to the mission field. Faithfulness in a routine duty of dusting a desk led to far-reaching horizons in Africa! Another college student washed dishes cheerfully and carefully, which brought opportunity for part-time employment in an administrative office, which door opened into wider spheres of service. From careful work, well done, in the kitchen, to a place of large responsibility in Christian service, teaches one of the obvious lesson, ''Do well whatever you are doing!'' Be an expert in at least one capacity. The discipline of doing one thing well will develop dependability in every other endeavor.

   The discipline of dependability is characterized also by adaptability of the young heart to its circumstances. David had been faithful in caring for his sheep, and in learning to play the harp; and had been promoted to the court of the king (16:21). After a time his services there were no longer needed, and he ''returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem'' (17:15). Not every lad can adapt himself so easily from the glamour of the great to the dull detail of duties at home. A touch of prominence and usefulness seems to disqualify some young people for the dishpan or the dusting, the chores, or the church. They forget that distinction and dignity are consonant with dependability in details. Prominence had not made David proud, nor had authority made him arrogant. With graciousness and cheerfulness he could lay aside the clothes of the court and be a shepherd boy again.

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   Toward the end of the discipline days of youth David became a soldier in the service of Saul; and because of his ability soon became subject to one of the deepest testings of dependability. He was a natural leader of men, ''accepted in the sight of all the people'' (18:5). In combat courageous, in camp considerate; in danger daring, in duty dependable, David lived close to his men, and deserved their confidence. He could not help the fact that the throngs ascribed greater success to him than to King Saul (18:6,7). The inevitable result was the unseemly and insane envy of the king, who ''eyed David from that day and forward'' (18:9).

   Envy is always unspeakably cruel and especially so to young people. Because of envy Abel was slain by Cain (Gen. 4:1-8), Joseph was sold as a slave by his elder brothers (Gen. 37:18-28), Moses was resisted by the elders of Israel (Num. 16:3; Ps.106:16), and the Lord Jesus was delivered to death (Mk. 15:10). The wisest of men said ''a sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones . . . Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy?'' (Prov. 14:30; 27:4).

   David, and young hearts like him all down the ages, have been bewildered and bruised by envy. He was just a soldier, obedient, humble, prudent and successful (I Sam. 18:5), and his only response to the king's jaundiced jealousy was wise behavior (18:14). Finally he was compelled to flee for his life (19:10,18; 20:1, etc.). When there was opportunity

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for vengeance, he would not lift his hand against his unworthy master (24:1-7; 26:7-11). David committed his cause to the Most High, and said, ''The Lord render to every man his righteousness and faithfulness: for the Lord delivered thee into my hand today, but I would not stretch forth mine hand against the Lord's anointed'' (I Sam. 26:23).

   Envy on the part of older people is quite possibly the deepest discipline of dependability for young people. Will they remain sweet, unsophisticated, unspoiled when subjected to the murderous malice of those whose places they are destined to assume? Can they, like David, commit their course to God, and not fight back, nor be discouraged? If not, they will be useless to assume large responsibilities in days to come; but if they do, there is no limit to the horizons of God's glad service.

   The foundation of a heart that loves God; the confidence of a future that is in His hands; the faithfulness in duty, even to fearlessness before dangers, in associations, and in the fiery trial of envy by elders; these are fundamentals in the deep discipline of dependability. Because of bearing that yoke in youth every young heart exercised thereby will be able in later life, as a true man or woman of God, to bear the heat and burden of each day.

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Choose Thou For Me

I dare not choose my lot;

I would not if I might;

Choose Thou for me, my God,

So shall I walk aright.

The kingdom that I seek

Is Thine; so let the way

That leads to it be Thine,

Else surely I might stray.

Take Thou my cup, and it

With joy or sorrow fill;

As best to Thee may seem,

Choose Thou my good and ill.

Choose Thou for me my friends,

My sickness or my health;

Choose Thou my cares for me,

My poverty or wealth.

Not mine—not mine the choice,

In things great or small;

Be Thou my Guide, my Strength,

My Wisdom and my All!

                                  —Horatius Bonar.

Chapter Thirteen  ||  Table of Contents