| Secrets of a Beautiful Life |
Chapter 2 |
Page 6 |
In these late days men are doing wonderful things for those who are suffering from infirmities. They educate the blind, until the privation of blindness is almost blotted out. They teach the dumb to speak. They take imbeciles and the feeble minded, and with almost infinite patience they find the soul, as it were, that lies hidden in the remote depths of the being, and call it out, ofttimes restoring to sanity and to usefulness lives that seemed hopelessly imbecile. This is very beautiful. It is all the work of Christianity. Heathen civilizations had no sympathy with weakness, and no patience with it. The sickly child, they said, would better die. The lame, the blind, the dumb, the insane, were simply cast out to perish. Christianity has filled the world with love. The other night four of the wisest physicians in a great city sat by a young child’s crib through all the watches, doing all that science and skill could do to save the little one’s life. It is Christianity that has taught such lessons as this.
We want the same interest in the spiritual helping of those who are weak. Those who are strong should give of their strength to support and uphold the weak. Those who have experience should become guides to the inexperienced. Those who have been comforted should carry comfort to those who are sorrowing. We are to be to others what Jesus would be if He were in our place. The best that is in us should ever be at the service of even the least worthy who stand before us needing sympathy or help. If we have this feeling, we shall look at no human life with disdain. It will put an end to all our miserable pride, to all our petty tyrannies and despotisms. It will lead us to ask concerning every one who passes before us, not, “What can I get from this man for my own gain? How can I make him serve me?” but rather, “What can I do to help this brother of mine to add to his happiness, to relieve his trouble to put him in the way of successful life, to comfort his sorrow, and to give him pleasure?”
If this were the habitual attitude of love, paradise would soon be restored. We live continually in the midst of great human needs, and every one has something to give, something that would help a little, at least, in supplying these needs. If we have but our five barley loaves, and bring them to our Master for His blessing, we can go forth and with them feed thousands.
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