Envy

Robert Murray McCheyne, pastor of a Church of Scotland congregation in Dundee, took a leave of absence to travel to Israel to see the state of the Jews in the holy land. He left the congregation in the hands of a young man named William Chalmers Burns. A revival broke out at the church under Burns' ministry. How did McCheyne react. Prior to the revival he had written Burns the following note: "You are given in answer to prayer; and these gifts are, I believe, always without exception blessed. I hope you may be a thousand times more blessed among them than ever I was. Perhaps there are many souls that would never have been saved under my ministsry, who may be touched under yours; and God has taken this method of bringing you into my place. His name is wonderful" (March 2, 1839).

The revival in Dundee made McCheyne's heart rejoice. He had no envy of another instrument being used of God in a place where he had labored with many tears. He rejoiced that the work of God was done and by whatever hand.