| The Secrets of a Beautiful Life |
Chapter 13 |
Page 4 |
Another secret of the joy of Christ was in his service and sacrifice of love. The angels see human joy on earth, not where men seek for happiness of their own, not where they are loving to find their own good and pleasure, but where they are toiling and denying themselves to give happiness to others. Christ’s whole life was dsvoted to ministry for others, and every service of love yielded him joy. His death, too, was the voluntary giving of himself for others. There is a beautiful legend which gives us a glimpse of the joy which Christ found even in going to his cross. Father Ryan gives it thus,—
“He walked beside the sea: he took his sandals off
To bathe his wary feet in the pure, cool wave,—
For he had walked across the desert sands
All day long,—and as he bathed his feet,
He murmured to himself, ‘Three years! Three years!
And then, poor feet, the cruel nails will come
And make you bleed; but that blood will lave
All weary feet on all their thorny ways.’”
The deepest joy Christ’s life must have been in his dying, for this was his greatest sacrifice and service. We get a glimmering of this experience in the word which says that “for the joy set before him he endured the cross, despising the shame;” and we have its foreshadowing in the prophetic assurance that he should see of the travial of his soul, and should be satisfied. We can get this joy of Christ only as we enter into his life of selfgiving love. Selfishness yields no true gladness. Serving starts songs in the heart. If we would have the joy of Christ we must enter into the spirit of the life of Christ. He was in this world to bless and save it. We can share his joy only as few share his love for the world, and love to bless and help to save it.
Page 4