Selected Messages Book 2

Chapter 20—General Principles Governing Worker Remuneration

Satisfaction and Blessing in Sacrificial Labor

Those who have the cause of God at heart, must realize that they are not working for themselves or for the small wage they may be receiving, and that God can make the little they do receive go farther than they think it can. He will give them satisfaction and blessing as they go forward in self-sacrificing labor. And He will bless every one of us as we labor in the meekness of Christ. And when I see some seeking for higher wages, I say to myself, “They are losing a precious blessing.” I know this to be a fact. I have seen it worked out again and again. 2SM 179.1

Now, brethren, let us take hold and do the very best that we possibly can, without asking for higher wages except as we find that it is an impossibility to do the work given us without more; but even then let others see this necessity as well as ourselves, for God puts it into their heart to see it, and they will speak the word that will have more influence than for us to speak a thousand words. They will speak words that will give us a proper standing before the people. The Lord is our helper and God, our front guard and our rearward. 2SM 179.2

As we bring ourselves into right relationship with God, we shall have success wherever we go; and it is success that we want, not money—living success, and God will give it to us because He knows all about our self-denial. He knows every sacrifice that we make. You may think that your self-denial does not make any difference, that you ought to have more consideration and so on. But it makes a great difference with the Lord. Over and over again I have been shown that when individuals begin to reach out after higher and still higher wages, something comes into their experience that places them where they stand no longer on vantage ground. But when they take the wage that carries on the face of it the fact that they are self-sacrificing, the Lord sees their self-denial and He gives them success and victory. This has been presented to me over and over again. The Lord that seeth in secret will reward openly for every sacrifice that His tried servants have been willing to make.—Manuscript 12, 1913. 2SM 179.3