| Things to Live For |
Chapter 13 |
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One is called to a great trial of patience. It is a mother, and her home cares lay upon her trembling nerves a sore strain. There are a thousand things to try her. It is hard for her to keep always sweet and patient. Sometimes, in a moment of weakness and weariness, she loses her self control, and speaks unadvisedly. It seems a little thing to fail in temper. Nothing is more common. It is easy to soothe one’s conscience, and allay the momentary feeling of shame, by thinking excusingly of one’s tired nerves, and how hard it is to be always calm and self poised. But meanwhile what has been the effect of the mother’s unseemly conduct on the tender lives of the children? Bad temper is usually unjust. Its hot, hasty words are unkind and hurtful, words which burn and pierce, words which should never have been spoken. Besides, the mother was standing for Christ before her children, and she has failed to show them the strength and peace and beauty of Christ.
Christ is very patient with our weakness when he knows that we do what we can do; yet we should strive not to fail him in temper, even if the strain is sore. It is in these pages of every day life that we must write our word or two, and we ought to write only what will truly interpret the spirit and life of our Master.
One is in deep sorrow. He wanted to be submissive to God’s will. But in a moment of weakness and pain he murmured. Or he was sick and shut away. It was hard to be quiet and still. There is a story of one, a godly man, who had frequent and violent paroxysms of most intense pain which he could scarcely endure. He would lie on the floor in anguish, trying to bear it all sweetly and patiently. When the paroxysm was over he would ask his friends: “Did I complain? I did not want to complain.” He was always grieved if he thought he had uttered a single word or groan of impatience.
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