| Strength and Beauty |
Chapter 7 |
Page 3 |
We have accounts of a few miracles wrought by Christ and condensed records of many others; but besides these supernatural acts of mercy, his days and hours were crowded with deeds of common kindness which far surpassed in sum of blessing his supernatural words. Then all the fruits of disposition and character reached their best in his life. Love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, meekness, goodness, were found in him in perfectness. While Jesus Christ remained on the earth in human form he was indeed a fruitful branch and thousands of hungry ones were fed with the fruits which dropped from his rich life. No one ever came to him hungry, desiring to be fed, only to be disappointed.
But when he went away into heaven he became the great Vine. All who are attached to him by faith and love are now branches of him. Through them his life flows, and they are to bear fruit in his name. We cannot put this truth too clearly nor emphasize it too strongly. It is upon our human lives that the fruit must grow with which Christ would feed the hunger of men. He is not here anymore in the flesh, but we are here in his place. We represent him, and the blessings which he would give to the world must be given through us. There is no other way in which they can be given. Angels would gladly come to earth to do our work, but they could not do it. We are the body of Christ, our hands are his hands, our feet are his feet, and our lips are his lips. During his incarnation he lived in one human body; now his body is the whole company of believers.
It is Christ’s will that the ministry of love which he began in person shall be continued. “The works that I do shall ye do also; and greater works than these shall ye do.” The world is full of sorrow, which needs comfort; of bruised and broken lives, which need healing; of weary and heavy laden ones, who need hope and cheer. If Jesus were here again he would himself give out blessings which should meet all these wants and cravings. He is here in the lives of his followers. And if we who bear Christ’s name fail to give to men in our measure what Christ would give if he were here again in person, we fail Christ and disappoint him. His heart yearns to give out comfort, cheer, love, and strength to all who need, it, and if we are not fruitful branches ministering to earth’s hungry ones what he would pass through us to them, we grieve him and those go hungry still, uncomforted, unhelped, unblessed, who might have been made to rejoice if we had done our part.
Page 3