Living With Others
25
are not governed by His principles. These persons are often a cause of
perplexity and discouragement to their fellow workers who are young
in Christian experience; but none need be misled. Christ has given us
a perfect example. He bids us follow Him.
Till the end of time there will be tares among the wheat. When
the servants of the householder, in their zeal for his honor, asked
permission to root out the tares, the master said: “Nay; lest while ye
gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow
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together until the harvest.”
Matthew 13:29, 30
.
In His mercy and long-suffering, God bears patiently with the per-
verse and even the falsehearted. Among Christ’s chosen apostles was
Judas the traitor. Should it then be a cause of surprise or discourage-
ment that there are falsehearted ones among His workers today? If He
who reads the heart could bear with him who He knew was to be His
betrayer, with what patience should we bear with those at fault.
And not all, even of those who appear most faulty, are like Ju-
das. Peter, impetuous, hasty, and self-confident, often appeared to
far greater disadvantage than Judas did. He was oftener reproved by
the Saviour. But what a life of service and sacrifice was his! What a
testimony does it bear to the power of God’s grace! So far as we are
capable, we are to be to others what Jesus was to His disciples when
He walked and talked with them on the earth.
Regard yourselves as missionaries, first of all, among your fellow
workers. Often it requires a vast amount of time and labor to win one
soul to Christ. And when a soul turns from sin to righteousness, there
is joy in the presence of the angels. Think you that the ministering
spirits who watch over these souls are pleased to see how indifferently
they are treated by some who claim to be Christians? Should Jesus
deal with us as we too often deal with one another, who of us could be
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saved?
Remember that you cannot read hearts. You do not know the
motives which prompted the actions that to you look wrong. There
are many who have not received a right education; their characters are
warped, they are hard and gnarled, and seem to be crooked in every
way. But the grace of Christ can transform them. Never cast them
aside, never drive them to discouragement or despair by saying, “You
have disappointed me, and I will not try to help you.” A few words
spoken hastily under provocation—just what we think they deserve—