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In Meekness Feed the Lambs, July 30
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
James 3:18
.
The true minister of Christ should be encircled by an atmosphere of spiritual
light, because he is connected with the world of light, and walks with Christ, who
is the light of the world. Arguments may be resisted, persuasion and entreaty may
be scorned, the most eloquent appeals, supported by the rigor of logic, may be
disregarded; but a living character of righteousness, a daily piety in the walks of
life, an anxiety for the sinner wherever found, the spirit of truth burning in the heart,
beaming from the countenance, and breathing from the lips in every word, constitute
a sermon which is hard to resist or to set aside, and which makes the strongholds of
Satan tremble. Ministers who walk with God are clad with the panoply of heaven,
and victory will attend their efforts.
Those who are engaged in the great and solemn work of warning the world
should not only have an individual experience in the things of God, but they should
cultivate love for one another, and should labor to be of one mind, of one judgment,
to see eye-to-eye. The absence of this love greatly pleases our wily foe. He is the
author of envy, jealousy, hatred, and dissension; and he rejoices to see these vile
weeds choke out love, that tender plant of heavenly growth.
It does not please God to have His servants censure, criticize, and condemn
one another. He has given them a special work, that of standing in defense of the
truth. They are His workmen; all should respect them, and they should respect one
another.
In the army, officers are required to respect their fellow officers, and the privates
soon learn the lesson. When the leaders of the people in Christian warfare are kind
and forbearing, and manifest a special love and regard for their colaborers, they
teach others to do the same.
The reputation of a fellow laborer is to be sacredly guarded. If one sees faults
in another, he is not to magnify them before others, and make them grievous sins.
They may be errors of judgment, that God will give divine grace to overcome. If He
had seen that angels, who are perfect, would have done the work for the fallen race
better than men, He would have committed it to them. But instead of this He sent
the needed assistance by poor, weak, erring mortals, who, having like infirmities as
their fellowmen, are best prepared to help them.
There was Peter, who denied his Lord.... Before Peter’s feet slipped, he had not
the spirit of meekness required to feed the lambs; but after he became sensible of his
own weakness ... he could come close to their side in tender sympathy, and could
help them (
Historical Sketches, 120, 121
).
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