. The Divine Philanthropist by
John Macduff. He Went Around Doing Good, Acts
10, 38. Christ's great end, says Richard
Baxter, was to save men from their sins, but he also delighted
to save them from their sorrows, His heart bled for human misery,
benevolence brought him from heaven, and benevolence followed
his steps wherever he went on earth. The journeys of the divine
philanthropist were marked by tears of thankfulness and breathings
of grateful love. The helpless, the blind, the
lame, the desolate rejoiced at the sound of his footfall. Truly
might it be said of him, I helped those without hope, and they
blessed me, and I caused the widow's hearts to sing for joy. Job 29.13. All suffering hearts
were a magnet to Jesus. It was not more his prerogative
than his happiness, to turn tears into smiles. One of the few pleasures
which on earth gladdened the spirit of the man of sorrows
was the pleasure of doing good, soothing grief, and alleviating
misery. Next to the joy of the widow
of Nain, when her son was restored, was the joy in the bosom of the
Divine Restorer. He often went out of his way
to be kind. A journey was not grudged, even
if one aching heart was to be soothed. Nor were his kindnesses dispensed
through the intervention of others. They were all personal acts.
His own hand healed, his own voice spoke, his own footsteps
lingered on the threshold of bereavement or at the precincts
of the tomb. Ah, had the princes of this world
known the loving tenderness and unselfishness of that wondrous
heart, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. Reader, do
you know anything of such active benevolence? Have you ever felt
the luxury of doing good? Have you ever felt that in making
others happy, you make yourself so? Do you know anything of that
great law of your being enunciated by the divine patron and pattern
of benevolence, it is more blessed to give than to receive? Has
God enriched you with this world's goods? Seek to view yourself
as a consecrated medium for dispensing them to others. Beware alike
of miserly hoarding and selfish extravagance. How sad the case
of those whose lot God has made thus to abound with temporal
mercies, who have gone to the grave unconscious of diminishing
one drop of human misery, or making one of the world's myriad
aching hearts happier. how the example of Jesus rebukes
the cold and calculating kindnesses, the might-like offerings of many,
even of His own people, whose libation is not like His, from
the brim of an overflowing cup, but from the bottom, from the
dregs. You may have little to give,
your sphere and means may be alike limited, But remember that
God is as much glorified by the trifle bestowed from the earnings
of poverty as by the splendid benefaction from the lap of plenty. The Lord loves a cheerful giver. The nobler part of Christian
benevolence is not vast donations or munificent financial sacrifices. He went about doing good. The
merciful visit, the friendly word, the look of sympathy, the
cup of cold water, the little and ostentatious service, the
giving without thought or hope of recompense, the kindly considering
of the poor, anticipating their needs, considering their comforts. These are what God values and
loves. They are loans to Himself, tributary
streams to the river of His pleasure. They will be acknowledged at
last as such. I assure you, whatever you did
for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for
me.