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Kind and Courteous Words, June 23
The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I
should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he
wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as
the learned.
Isaiah 50:4
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What Christ was in His life on this earth, that every Christian is to be.
He is our example, not only in His spotless purity, but in His patience,
gentleness, and winsomeness of disposition. He was firm as a rock where
truth and duty were concerned, but He was invariably kind and courteous.
His life was a perfect illustration of true courtesy.... His presence brought
a purer atmosphere into the home, and His life was as leaven working
amid the elements of society. Harmless and undefiled, He walked among
the thoughtless, the rude, the uncourteous; amid the unjust publicans, the
unrighteous Samaritans, the heathen soldiers, the rough peasants, and the
mixed multitude.
He spoke a word of sympathy here and a word there as He saw men
weary and compelled to bear heavy burdens. He shared their burdens and
repeated to them the lessons He had learned from nature, of the love, the
kindness, the goodness of God. He sought to inspire with hope the most
rough and unpromising, setting before them the assurance that they might
become blameless and harmless, attaining such a character as would make
them manifest as children of God.... Jesus sat an honored guest at the table
of the publicans, by His sympathy and social kindliness showing that He
recognized the dignity of humanity; and men longed to become worthy
of His confidence. Upon their thirsty souls His words fell with blessed,
life-giving power. New impulses were awakened, and the possibility of a
new life opened to these outcasts of society.
The religion of Jesus softens whatever is hard and rough in the temper
and smooths off whatever is rugged and sharp in the manners. It is this
religion that makes the words gentle and the demeanor winning. Let us
learn from Christ how to combine a high sense of purity and integrity with
sunniness of disposition. A kind, courteous Christian is the most powerful
argument that can be produced in favor of the gospel.
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