| The Glory of the Common Life |
Chapter 8 |
Page 6 |
What did Jesus say when the disciple of John came to him with their master’s question? He did not blame John for his doubts. He did not say he was disloyal. He had no word of unkindly criticism. He did not treat John as if he had done something very wrong in seeing for light on his question. Christians who are older and have had wider experience in life need to practice the utmost gentleness in dealing with younger or less experienced Christians. David in his old age said it was God’s gentleness that had made him great. If God had been harsh or ungentle with him in his sins and faults, David never would have been saved. It was said of Jesus that he was so gentle he would not even break a bruised reed, nor quench a dying spark in the lamp wick. He would so help to restore the reed that it would grow into strength again; he would so shield the dying spark that it would live and become a flame. If Christ had rebuked John for his questions, we cannot tell what the effect on the discourage man in his dungeon would have been.
The definite question which John sent to ask Jesus was, “Art thou he that cometh, or look we for another?” Jesus gave no direct answer. Instead, he asked the men to stay during the day and see what he was doing, and then go back and report to John. This would be the best answer to his questions. The things the men saw were the true evidences of the Messiahship of Jesus. What are the evidences of Christianity today? May we not give the same answer that Jesus gave that day to John’s disciple? “The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up, and the poor have good tidings preached to them.”
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