| Things to Live For |
Chapter 14 |
Page 6 |
But whatever the cost, we should never fail in a duty of love. We do grievous wrong to others by withholding from them what we owe to them. There is a sin of not doing. We shall be judged, not by what we do, but also by what we leave undone. We need to give more heed to the active side of our life. We cannot cut ourselves off from our brothers. It is not enough to think of getting on in the world; we dare not seek to get on and pay no heed to those who are journeying with us. There is a startling saying of Amiel’s which we would do well to ponder: “It is better to be lost than to be saved alone.” One writes:–
“We go our ways in life too much alone;
We hold ourselves too far from all our kind;
Too often we are dead to sigh and moan;
Too often to the weak and helpless blind;
Too often, where distress and want abide,
We turn, and pass upon the other side.
“The other side is trodden smooth, and worn
By footsteps passing idly all the day;
Where lie the bruised ones that faint and mourn
Is seldom more than an untrodden way.
Our selfish hearts are for our feet the guide–
They lead us by upon the other side.
“It should be ours the oil and wine to pour
Into the bleeding wounds of stricken ones;
To take the smitten and the sick and sore,
And bear them where a stream of blessing runs.
“Instead we look about–the way is wide,
And so we pass upon the other side.
“Oh, friends and brothers, gliding down the years,
Humanity is calling each and all
In tender accents, born of grief and tears:
I pray you listen to the thrilling call!
You cannot in you cold and selfish pride
Pass guiltlessly by on the other side.
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