FORBEARANCE OF OUR LORD.
By Irene Widdemer Hartt
THERE is nothing in life harder to bear than injustice; the greatest task set the Christian is to endure in silence any wrong. It sometimes seems almost impossible to do this. Cross words we can bear, but when false accusations are brought against us and we are judged wrongfully, we must reply, even though that reply, instead of setting us right in the eyes of our accusers, brings on a war of words. But our Lord suffered even this. He met injustice and calumny everywhere and was "dumb." He made no endeavor to set himself right, and thus most surely bring about the "strife of tongues." He who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, never strove to have the last word; he bore all unkindness and unjust reproach meekly and silently. He was perfect truth and knowledge amid a false and ignorant nation, yet he bore their contradiction. If he was the subject of unkind insinuations, he did not revenge himself by making like insinuations; when his motives were misrepresented he kept on in his work, proving by its results, not by his replies, that he was right. It was a small thing to him that he was judged of men or of men's judgment. He was certain of his Father's approval, so he could afford to be silent when the world condemned or contradicted. He was constantly strengthened by uninterrupted communication with the Father, and thus made strong, even aside from his own divine nature, to suffer long. He was made strong to tame the tongue, that little member which St. James has said no man can tame. The member which is to us so full of poison was in him so full of healing words. With us truly it is sometimes "set on fire of hell," but his tongue was always set on fire of Heaven. His was always the gentle reply, if a reply must be made, which turned away wrath, enduring unkindnesses, and by his endurance magnifying his Father, but never by one word bringing discredit upon that Father. "Finally be ye all of one mind" "not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing, but contrariwise, blessing."—Irene Widdemer Hartt, in Christian at Work.