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For sheer gratuitous misery…producing power
this influence stands alone。
Look at the Elder Brothermoral； hard…working； patient； dutifullet
him get all credit for his virtueslook at this man； this baby；
sulking outside his own father's door。 〃He was angry；〃 we read；
〃and would not go in。〃 Look at the effect upon the father； upon the
servants； upon the happiness of the guests。 Judge of the effect
upon the Prodigaland how many prodigals are kept out of the
Kingdom of God by the unlovely character of those who profess to
be inside。 Analyze； as a study in Temper； the thunder…cloud itself
as it gathers upon the Elder Brother's brow。 What is it made of？
Jealousy； anger； pride； uncharity； cruelty； self…righteousness；
touchiness； doggedness； sullennessthese are the ingredients of
this dark and loveless soul。 In varying proportions； also； these
are the ingredients of all ill temper。 Judge if such sins are of
the disposition are not worse to live in； and for others to live
with； than the sins of the body。 Did Christ indeed not answer the
question Himself when He said； 〃I say unto you that the publicans
and the harlots go into the Kingdom of Heaven before you〃？ There
is really no place in heaven for a disposition like this。 A man
with such a mood could only make heaven miserable for all the people
in it。 Except； therefore； such a man be
Born again；
he cannot； simply CANNOT； enter the kingdom of heaven。
You will see then why Temper is significant。 It is not in what
it is alone； but in what it reveals。 This is why I speak of it
with such unusual plainness。 It is a test for love； a symptom； a
revelation of an unloving nature at bottom。 It is the intermittent
fever which bespeaks unintermittent disease within； the occasional
bubble escaping to the surface which betrays some rottenness
underneath； a sample of the most hidden products of the soul dropped
involuntarily when off one's guard； in a word； the lightning form
of a hundred hideous and un…Christian sins。 A want of patience； a
want of kindness； a want of generosity； a want of courtesy； a want
of unselfishness； are all instantaneously symbolized in one flash
of Temper。
Hence it is not enough to deal with the Temper。 We must go to the
source； and change the inmost nature； and the angry humors will die
away of themselves。 souls are made sweet not by taking the acid
fluids out； but by putting something ina great Love； a new Spirit；
the Spirit of Christ。 Christ； the Spirit of Christ； interpenetrating
ours； sweetens； purifies； transforms all。 This only can eradicate
what is wrong； work a chemical change； renovate and regenerate；
and rehabilitate the inner man。 Will…power does not change men。
Time does not change men。
Christ does。
Therefore； 〃Let that mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus。〃
Some of us have not much time to lose。 Remember； once more； that
this is a matter of life or death。 I cannot help speaking urgently；
for myself； for yourselves。 〃Whoso shall offend one of these little
ones； which believe in me； it were better for him that a millstone
were hanged about his neck； and that he were drowned in the depth
of the sea。〃 That is to say； it is the deliberate verdict of the
Lord Jesus that it is better not to live than not to love。 IT IS
BETTER NOT TO LIVE THAN NOT TO LOVE。
GUILELESSNESS and SINCERITY may be dismissed almost without a word。
Guilelessness is the grace for suspicious people。 The possession
of it is
The great secret of personal influence。
You will find； if you think for a moment； that the people who
influence you are people who believe in you。 In an atmosphere of
suspicion men shrivel up； but in that atmosphere they expand； and
find encouragement and educative fellowship。
It is a wonderful thing that here and there in this hard； uncharitable
world there should still be left a few rare souls who think no
evil。 this is the great unworldliness。 Love 〃thinketh no evil；〃
imputes no motive； sees the bright side； puts the best construction
on every action。 What a delightful state of mind to live in！ What
a stimulus and benediction even to meet with it for a day！ To
be trusted is to be saved。 And if we try to influence or elevate
others； we shall soon see that success is in proportion to their
belief of our belief in them。 The respect of another is the first
restoration of the self…respect a man has lost； our ideal of what
he is becomes to him the hope and pattern of what he may become。
〃Love rejoiceth not in unrighteousness； but rejoiceth with the
truth。〃 I have called this SINCERITY from the words rendered in
the Authorized Version by 〃rejoiceth in the truth。〃 And； certainly；
were this the real translation； nothing could be more just； for he
who loves will love Truth not less than men。 He will rejoice in
the Truthrejoice not in what he has been taught to believe； not
in this church's doctrine or in that； not in this ism or in that
ism； but 〃in THE TRUTH。〃 He will accept only what is real； he
will strive to get at facts； he will search for TRUTH with a humble
and unbiased mind； and cherish whatever he finds at any sacrifice。
But the more literal translation of the Revised Version calls for
just such a sacrifice for truth's sake here。 For what Paul really
meant is； as we there read； 〃Rejoiceth not in unrighteousness； but
rejoiceth with the truth；〃 a quality which probably no one English
wordand certainly not SINCERITYadequately defines。 It includes；
perhaps more strictly； the self…restraint which refuses to make
capital out of others' faults； the charity which delights not in
exposing the weakness of others； but 〃covereth all things〃； the
sincerity of purpose which endeavors to see things as they are；
and rejoices to find them better than suspicion feared or calumny
denounced。
So much for the analysis of Love。 Now the business of our lives
is to have these things fitted into our characters。 That is the
supreme work to which we need to address ourselves in this world；
to learn Love。 Is life not full of opportunities for learning
Love？ Every man and woman every day has a thousand of them。 The
world is not a playground； it is a schoolroom。 Life is not a
holiday； but an education。 And
The one eternal lesson
for us all is HOW BETTER WE CAN LOVE。
What makes a man a good cricketer？ Practice。 What makes a man
a good artist； a good sculptor； a good musician？ Practice。 What
makes a man a good linguist； a good stenographer？ Practice。 What
makes a man a good man？ Practice。 Nothing else。 There is nothing
capricious about religion。 We do not get the soul in different
ways； under different laws； from those in which we get the body
and the mind。 If a man does not exercise his arm he develops no
biceps muscle； and if a man does not exercise his soul； he acquires
no muscle in his soul； no st