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Jesus Listens to the Contrite, September 23
Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you,
That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is
in heaven.
Matthew 18:10
.
As the veil which conceals Christ’s glory from our view is drawn aside, the
Saviour is shown to be in His high and holy place, not in solitude, careless and
indifferent to our needs, but surrounded by thousands and thousands of holy angels,
each one of which has a commission to fulfill for the blessing of humanity.
The Saviour is in communication with every part of His vast dominion. He
stoops from His throne to listen to the cries of His children. His heart of love is
filled with pity and compassion for them. But His greatest grief, I am instructed to
say, comes when grief is brought to those whom He has appointed to do a certain
work; when someone who does not understand the will of God urges his way in,
to cloud judgment by many words. Months and years may be needed to undo the
wrong wrought in the few minutes spent in speaking unadvised words.
Oh, we must not grieve the Saviour by our lack of love for one another.... At
one time the disciples came to Jesus with the question, “Who is the greatest in
the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in
the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and
become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven” (
Matthew
18:1-3
)....
We are engaged in a great and solemn work, and we should follow the Saviour
closely. He will lead us to higher and still higher planes of truth. “Ye shall see
greater things than these,” He says, “only be diligent students.” He opens to in-
spection the books where the name of each follower is inscribed, and they see with
astonishment the record of actions dishonoring to God and actions commended
by Him. Each day’s record shows the workings of providence—the efforts of the
Lord to keep men meek and lowly, tenderhearted, and pitiful.
Christ hears every word spoken in disparagement of His children. He knows
when they become almost distracted in their work because meddlesome persons,
instead of attending to their own work, carry a great burden for the work of
someone else.... Could the eyes of the one who is cherishing evil surmisings be
opened, he would see the Saviour drawing near to the one whom he has accused,
bending over him as, full of perplexity, he kneels beside his couch, weeping, and
begging the Lord for strength, for wisdom, for His keeping power.—
Manuscript
94, September 23, 1904
, “The Sin of Evil-speaking.”
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