. People with Sore and Bruised
Hearts, J.R. Miller, Daily Bible Readings
in the Life of Christ, 1890. When a woman who had lived a
sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the
Pharisees' house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume. Luke 7.37. It is wonderful how
genuine goodness draws to itself the unfortunate, the troubled,
the friendless, the outcast, the fallen. Wherever Jesus went,
these classes always found Him out and gathered about Him. It
was because He was the true unselfish Friend of all men. They found
sympathy in him. He would listen to their story.
Though he was a sinless one, there was yet no air of, I am
holier than you, about him. He was just as gentle to an outcast
sinner as to a religious Nicodemus. No matter who reached out a hand
for help, he was ready to grasp it. One of the truest things
ever said of Jesus was the prophetic word concerning Him. He shall
not break a bruised reed. He always dealt most gently with
sore spirits and with bruised hearts. Those who want to be
useful in this world must have the same qualities as Jesus. There is a kind of false holiness
which draws nobody to itself, but rather repels. Genuine holiness,
however, wins its way everywhere into men's hearts, The secret
of it all is in living not to be served, but to serve, in considering
oneself not too good to serve the most unworthy of God's creatures. If we live in this world to be
served, we shall be of no use to anyone. But if we live to
minister to others, yearning to be of service to everyone
we meet, then our life will be of great worth. The hungry-hearted
and the soul-needy will be drawn to us, and God will love to put
work into our hands. We need, too, to train ourselves
to exceeding gentleness in dealing with human souls in their spiritual
crises. Many earnest people, in the excess
of their zeal, do incalculable harm to those whom they greatly
desire to help. People with sore and bruised
hearts usually need loving sympathy and strong, kindly friendship
much more than they need a lecture in theology. Come to Me, all
you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew
11, 28