Christians Should Cause Men to Respect Them.
By D. D. Tappan
It was a direction of inspired Paul to Timothy, "Let no man despise thy youth;" and to Titus, "Let no man despise thee." He did not say, let no man hate thee. A thorough, manly, outspoken Christian, though as lovable as John, whom Jesus loved, Scripture and facts teach us, will not escape hatred. A timid disciple who never denounces rum-selling, fraud, oppression, gambling in all its branches, and things of the kind, may sail rather smoothly through life, and when he dies, it may be said of him that he never had an enemy. A doubtful compliment! This could not have been truly said of Paul, nor of John himself; no, nor of the Lord Jesus. It is not well to make enemies by a pugnacious way of saying things, or by any kind or degree of unmanliness; but it is certain that he who openly and faithfully sets himself against man’s darling sins, will not be universally loved. But, as to being despised, that is another thing. If we are, in a good degree, and in general, what we should be, and without any prominent folly or vice, we shall not be likely to be despised by any whose respect is of much account. How could Timothy and Titus escape being despised? By living so that none could despise them. This inspired teaching, though it may be primarily applicable to ministers, applies scarcely less to all Christians. They should not permit men to despise them. But how prevent it? By a right character and a wise and consistent mode of life. 1. They must be thoroughly religious; not half-way Christians; not merely church members, seldom or never recognized as such, except as seen at the communion table. Sensible, worldly men are not, usually, impressed so much in favor of religion by loud professions in the prayer-meeting, or remarkable experiences, perhaps ostentatiously and repetitiously recited, as by a known consistently religious life out of the prayer-meeting, and during the six secular days of the week. A dishonest, sordid, neglectful professor, may easily enough, be despised by wise men and by fools. We must be what we profess to be, in a reasonable degree. 2. Common sense is also needful, in order to ward off contempt. If we are really religious, but pay no attention to the fitness of things; if we grossly offend against innocent usages of society; if we are busy-bodies and gossips, bolting in upon cultured families at unreasonable hours, or on days understood to be specially busy days, and when company is undesirable, if we are unconsciously hangers on, even on the point of going, and yet spinning out our fatiguing stay; if we are apt to argue with an irascible or drunken man; if we readily get into disputes, political or religious, in stores or shops, with a scoffing crew around; if we are wont to interrupt and hinder men of business, amidst their pressing affairs in business hours; if we expect men of sense to accept our unproved assertions, it is not easy to perceive how we can thus secure the respect of the discerning and really candid men of the world. In the choice of an occupation, in our style of doing business, in our practical estimate of ourselves and of mankind, there is room for the exercise that is profitable to secure, with other good results, the respect of respectable men. And none of us are, without divine leading, always so judicious as to escape deserved contempt. Timothy and Titus no doubt had occasion to think of that word of holy writ, "Through thy precepts I get understanding;" and we, with the added New Testament scripture, may well recall that to mind, and this, also "If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God."—D. D. Tappan, in Golden Censer.