The following message has spoken much to my own heart. Perhaps it would be of the Lord to share it.
It is one of our great difficulties of the present moment—indeed it has ever been a difficulty—to combine a narrow path with a wide heart. There is very much on all sides tending to produce isolation. We cannot deny it. Links of human friendship seem very fragile; many things crop up to shake confidence—many things which one cannot possibly sanction—and the path becomes more and more isolated.
All this is unquestionably true, but we must be very careful how we meet this condition of things. We have little idea how much depends on the spirit in which we carry ourselves in the midst of scenes and circumstances which, all must admit, are very trying.
For example, I may retire in upon myself and become bitter, morose, severe, repulsive, withered up, having no heart for the Lord's people, for His service, for the holy and happy exercise of the assembly. I may become barren of good works, having no sympathy with the poor, the sick, the sorrowful, living in the narrow circle within which I have retired, thinking only of myself, my personal and family interests.
What, we may well inquire, can be more miserable than this? It is simply the most deplorable selfishness; but we do not see it because we are blinded by our inordinate occupation with other people's failures.
Now it is a very easy matter to find out flaws, foibles, and faults in our brethren and friends.
But the question is, How are we to meet these things? Is it by retiring in upon ourselves? Never; no, never! To do this is to render ourselves as miserable in ourselves as we are worthless, and worse than worthless, to others.
How truly delightful and refreshing to turn from this dismal picture to the only perfect Man, who trod this earth. His path was indeed an isolated one—none more so. He had no sympathy from the scene around Him. "The world knew Him not." "He came unto His own [Israel), and His own received Him not." He "looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but He found none." Even His own beloved disciples failed to sympathize with or understand Him. They slept on the mount of transfiguration in the presence of His glory; and they slept in the garden of Gethsemane in the presence of His agony. They roused Him out of His sleep with their unbelieving fears, and were continually intruding upon Him with their ignorant questions and foolish notions.
How did He meet all this? In perfect grace, patience, and tenderness. He answered their questions; He corrected their notions; He hushed their fears; He solved their difficulties; He met their need; He made allowance for their infirmities; He gave them credit for devotedness in the moment of desertion; He looked at them through His own loving eyes, and loved them, notwithstanding all. "Having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end."
Christian reader, let us have grace to manifest our blessed Master's spirit, and walk in His footsteps. And then our isolation will be of the right kind; and though our path may be narrow, the heart will be large.