APOSTLES ARE MADE FROM COMMON MEN

There is a legend of an artist who long sought for a piece of sandal-wood, out of which to carve a Madonna. At last he was about to give up in despair, leaving the vision of his life unrealized, when in a dream he was bidden to shape the figure from a block of oakwood which was destined for the fire. Obeying the command, he produced from the log of common fire-wood a masterpiece.

In like manner many people wait for great and brilliant opportunities for doing the good things, the beautiful things, of which they dream, while through all the plain, common days, the very opportunities they require for such deeds lie close to them in the simplest and most familiar passing events, and in the homeliest circumstances. They wait to find sandal-wood out of which to carve Madonnas, while far more lovely Madonnas than they dream of are hidden in the common logs of oak they spurn with their feet in the wood-yard. (By J.R. Miller) Philippians 3:21