That is less of self, and more of Christ!

When you are forgotten or neglected,
or purposely set at naught,
and you don't sting,
and hurt with the insult or the oversight,
but your heart is happy,
being counted worthy
to suffer for Christ,
That is less of self and more of Christ!

When your good is evil spoken of,
when your wishes are crossed,
your advice disregarded,
your opinions ridiculed,
and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart,
or even defend yourself,
but take it all in patient, loving silence,
That is less of self and more of Christ!

When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder,
any irregularity,
any impunctuality,
or any annoyance;
when you stand face to face with waste,
folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility,
and endure it as Jesus endured it,
That is less of self and more of Christ!

When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation,
or to record your own good works,
or itch after commendation,
when you can truly love to be unknown,
That is less of self and more of Christ!

When you are content with any food, any offering,
any raiment, any climate, any society,
any solitude, any interruption
by the will of God,
That is less of self and more of Christ!

When you can see your brother prosper
and have his needs met,
and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit
and feel no envy nor question God,
while your own needs are far greater
and in desperate circumstances,
That is less of self, and more of Christ!

When you can receive correction and reproof
from one of less stature than yourself,
and can humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly,
finding no rebellion or resentment rising up
within your heart,
That is less of self, and more of Christ!

Author Unknown;
modified from a poem in
The Heartbeat of the Remnant magazine