A Lenten Reflection
Being not heartless
"A heartless Christian must be a terrible grief to God."
- Oswald Chambers
How easy it is to love ourselves enough to be soft upon our own faults and sins, and even easier is it to see the faults and sins of others. With great zeal so many who profess the name of Christ as their Lord go searching for where others have stumbled, so that it might be pointed out with great glee and judgement. No hand of help is offered, no kind and encouraging word, but scathing verbal blows and mockery instead.
But have we no sin? Have we no faults? Did not Christ Jesus die to redeem us because we are wretched fallen beings? Were we not drowning in our own sins and unable to save ourselves? Have we not often been proud and haughty when instead we should be humble and grateful?
Then why should such as we feel we have the right to cast stones at any other? We see the secret truths of no one's heart, we know the hidden sorrows in no one's soul. God is just, and God is holy, and it is He alone who is fit to condemn.
Let us, knowing full the depths of our own sin, of how deep we were in the mire before Christ lifted us out, show mercy and love to our brethren who struggle with sin just as we do. Let us encourage them, help them, pray for them and love them. Let us not be stumbling blocks, impeding their way towards Christ, but rather that we should lend them our hands and aid them on their journey to the Lord.
As we have received mercy upon mercy, grace upon grace, let us give mercy and grace. As we have been given a deep well of forgiveness from the Lord's own hand, let us forgive. As we were shown compassion from Christ's heart, let our hearts be filled with love and compassion. For should we not attempt to imitate our Lord?
On towards the Cross,
-Beth Haynes Butler
Being not heartless
"A heartless Christian must be a terrible grief to God."
- Oswald Chambers
How easy it is to love ourselves enough to be soft upon our own faults and sins, and even easier is it to see the faults and sins of others. With great zeal so many who profess the name of Christ as their Lord go searching for where others have stumbled, so that it might be pointed out with great glee and judgement. No hand of help is offered, no kind and encouraging word, but scathing verbal blows and mockery instead.
But have we no sin? Have we no faults? Did not Christ Jesus die to redeem us because we are wretched fallen beings? Were we not drowning in our own sins and unable to save ourselves? Have we not often been proud and haughty when instead we should be humble and grateful?
Then why should such as we feel we have the right to cast stones at any other? We see the secret truths of no one's heart, we know the hidden sorrows in no one's soul. God is just, and God is holy, and it is He alone who is fit to condemn.
Let us, knowing full the depths of our own sin, of how deep we were in the mire before Christ lifted us out, show mercy and love to our brethren who struggle with sin just as we do. Let us encourage them, help them, pray for them and love them. Let us not be stumbling blocks, impeding their way towards Christ, but rather that we should lend them our hands and aid them on their journey to the Lord.
As we have received mercy upon mercy, grace upon grace, let us give mercy and grace. As we have been given a deep well of forgiveness from the Lord's own hand, let us forgive. As we were shown compassion from Christ's heart, let our hearts be filled with love and compassion. For should we not attempt to imitate our Lord?
On towards the Cross,
-Beth Haynes Butler
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