Yesterday, I passed it along to Joel, a friend who works at Starbucks, who postively loves Christ. This young man attends the University of Tennessee, works at what he considers a humble job, since Jesus was among us as one who serveth. And this man yearns to be a preacher someday, and even now has an opportunity to preach at a friend's church.
Reflecting on what I read in those publications, and the glow Joel has for things of the Spirit, couldn't help being grateful for every individual who has Christ front and center in their lives. They have a joy and peace of mind and purpose--a real zest for life--that ones who don't have this love central to their lives, just cannot be experiencing. Without love for God's Highest, and a desire to follow wherever this leads us, something vital is missing. And of course, we see it in the lives of those who should know better, those who have an abundance of help in the Holy Scriptures. And in the writings of Mary Baker Eddy! (Hint, hint)
This was a woman who was willing to give her all to do what God inspired her to do. And these words are among my favorite. They're found in "Miscellaneous Writings" (page 281): "Admiral Coligny, in the time of the French Huguenots, was converted to Protestantism through a stray copy of the Scriptures that fell into his hands. He replied to his wife, who urged him to come out and confess his faith, 'It is wise to count the cost of becoming a true Christian.' She answered him, 'It is wiser to count the cost of not becoming a a true Christian.' So, whatever we meet that is hard in the Christian warfare we must count as nothing, and must think instead, of our poverty and helplessness without this understanding, and count ourselves always as debtors to Christ, Truth." (This follower of Christ was later martyed for his faith, I read.)
The above incident that Mrs. Eddy writes about occurred during the Protestant Reformation. Having read widely of the heroes and heroines of this grand time has brought much inspiration into my life. To learn of what Martin Luther, William Tynedale, John Wycliffe, and John Wesley, to name just a few, endured--often unspeakable hardship--rather than become remiss in their duty to God and man, has shined a light on my path.
And speaking of Wesley, who as everyone knows, is the father of the Methodist denomination, I once read an account of his preaching that left me in awe. He was preaching out of doors, the only place open to him since the Church of England disapproved of his efforts to bring vital Christianty back into the church. This one day, the crowd became unruly because of some ruffians stirring them up. One man hurled a brick at Wesley's head and knocked him unconscious. But this, this part was amazing to me. His friends lifted him up, and according to several eye-witnesses, this holy little man was loving and calm and did not seek retribution on the one who had injured him--a Christlike response I cannot even imagine at this point. Not the not returning evil for evil, but behaving in such a calm manner.
But if this doesn't show the peace and power of a life given over to Christ! If this blog post reaches just one individual who has yet to put love for Christ in their hearts, then God be thanked. A new day is about to dawn for that heaven-blessed person.
Let me close this with something else the courageous woman who founded my church wrote: "Sacred history shows that those who have followed exclusively Christ's teacing, have been scourged in the synogogues and persecuted from city to city. But this is no cause for not following it; and my only apology for trying to follow it is that I love Christ more than all the world..." (Message to The Mother Church for 1901)
