The psalmist quaintly states that God has no pleasure in the legs of a man. And in those days legs went for much. To have a fine physical frame; great, bulging muscles; uncommon physical strength; in short, to be a fine animal, was a mark of excellency which won high honor and respect. Then came the days of bulging brains, when men were rated for their mental powers and the world worshiped great minds. Those were the times when philosophy and literature and art were in the ascendency. But none of these things commend us to God. He thinks no more of a man for having a fine physique, or excellent mental powers, talents, genius, or any other [161] natural powers. The world can condone all Robert Burns' immorality because he was a sweet poet, and overlook the deeds of a Napoleon because he was a military genius. Not so with God. He thinks no more of Burns because he is Burns. He could make another Burns or Napoleon as easily as not. No man can approach God on any such grounds as that. Certainly a beautiful, strong body is desirable; a powerful mind is to be coveted; a naturally fine character is of great advantage; and all these things are God's gifts and can be used to great advantage when the man is in Christ. But God has no pleasure in these things, because they are of themselves insufficient even to bring a man to God; and as they are, they often become an occasion of pride and independence of spirit, and prevent men from seeing their helpless condition apart from the Savior. But this thing God loves: A soul that will humble itself before him, a man poor in spirit who trembleth at God's word, ears that will hear, and a heart that will believe and obey God. Let us lay aside, like Paul, all confidence in our own advantages and count them as loss that we may gain Christ and receive our all from him, being found in him clothed with a righteousness which is not our own, the righteousness given to us of God through faith, and which alone can make us acceptable with God. (Phil. 3:3-9.)

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