| Strength and Beauty |
Chapter 2 |
Page 3 |
Like those flowers which give out their sweetest perfume only when they are crushed, the precious life of Jesus gave out its most holy sweetness when it was suffering most unjustly. His answer to the terrible wrong of crucifixion was a prayer for those who were driving the nails. His response to the cross was redemption through the blood that flowed.
This same spirit the Master’s followers are bidden to cherish, turning the other cheek when smitten on one, going two miles when compelled to go one, praying for those who despitefully use them and persecute them, – all of which means that they are to give up their rights rather than contend for them, to be silent and sweet when they have a just human right to cry out against injustice or wrong.
It is not easy to quietly allow others to do injustice to us in advancing their own interests. Yet God knows what is ours in the work of the world, even though another has put his trademark on it. A delightful story is told of the boyhood of Agassiz. The family lived on the edge of a lake in Switzerland. One winter day the father was on the other side of the lake and the future scientist and his younger brother wished to cross over to him. The lake was frozen over. The mother watched the boys from her window as they set out. They got along well enough till they came to a crack in the ice, when they stopped, as if unable to advance. Then the mother became very anxious. “Louis will get over safely,” she said to herself, “but the little fellow will fall in and be drowned.” But the boys were too far away for the mother to do anything but fear. Presently, however, as she looked, she saw the older boy lie down on the ice, his head on one side of the crack and his feet on the other, making a bridge with his body, and the little fellow crept over him to the other side.
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