Faith Venture

Character more than talent determines success in life. Not necessarily more money, power, or prestige. But as someone of whom people touched by them remember kindly.

Who you are shouts louder than what you do.

Put Away Evil Speaking–John Wesley.

O that all you who bear the reproach of Christ, who are in derision called Methodists, would set an example to the Christian world, so called, at least in this one instance! Put ye away evil-speaking, talebearing, whispering: Let none of them proceed out of your mouth! See that you “speak evil of no man;” of the absent, nothing but good. If ye must be distinguished, whether ye will or no, let this be the distinguishing mark of a Methodist: “He censures no man behind his back: By this fruit ye may know him.” What a blessed effect of this self-denial should we quickly feel in our hearts! How would our “peace flow as a river,” when we thus “followed peace with all men!”

I was brought up in the Methodist Church and have spent most of my adult life as a member. I don’t remember any specific instruction on Wesleyan thought. Some recent reading suggested several books to read next, so I picked up Wesley’s Collected Sermons. 141 of them. When the book opened in Kindle, the note told me 24 hours remaining of reading time. I’m now half through. I stand amazed at how much my thought came from John Wesley.

The quote from John Wesley should be “inscribed on the heart” of all who call themselves Methodist of whatever flavor. Furthermore, the thought is good for all who claim to follow Jesus. Even further, it wouldn’t hurt every person regardless of religion or politics or whatever to follow this advice.