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Fundamentals of Christian Education
in your character. Temptations will come, but not overcome. But
through grace found in opening the heart to the knock and voice of
Jesus, Christian character and experience are growing more and more
beautiful and heavenly. Let us bear in mind that we are dealing with
souls that Christ has purchased with infinite cost to Himself. O tell the
erring, God loves you, God died for you. Weep over them, pray with
them. Shed tears over them, but do not get angry with them. They
are Christ’s purchased possession. Let every one seek a character that
will express love in all his actions. “Whoso shall offend one of these
little ones which believe in Me, it were better for him that a millstone
were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depths
of the sea.” It were better not to live than to exist day by day devoid of
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that love which Christ has revealed in His character, and has enjoined
upon His children. Said Christ, “Love one another as I have loved
you.” We live in a hard, unfeeling, uncharitable world. Satan and his
confederacy are plying every art to seduce the souls for whom Christ
has given His precious life. Every one who loves God in sincerity and
truth, will love the souls for whom Christ has died. If we wish to do
good to souls, our success with these souls will be in proportion to
their belief in our belief in, and appreciation of, them. Respect shown
to the struggling human soul is the sure means through Christ Jesus
of the restoration of the self-respect the man has lost. Our advancing
ideas of what he may become is a help we cannot ourselves fully
appreciate. We have need of the rich grace of God every hour, then we
will have a rich, practical experience, for God is love. He that dwelleth
in love, dwelleth in God. Give love to them that need it most. The
most unfortunate, those who have the most disagreeable temperaments
need our love, our tenderness, our compassion. Those who try our
patience need most love. We pass through the world only once; any
good thing we can do, we should do most earnestly, untiringly, with
the same spirit as is stated of Christ in His work. He will not fail nor
be discouraged. The rough, stubborn, sullen dispositions are the ones
who need help the most. How can they be helped? Only by that love
practiced in dealing with them which Christ revealed to fallen man.
Treat them, you may, as they deserve. What if Christ had treated us
thus? He, the undeserving, was treated as we deserve. Still we are
treated by Christ with grace and love as we did not deserve, but as He
deserved. Treat some characters, as you think they richly deserve, and