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Kind And Courteous Words, June 16
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
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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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