Although Elinor wasn’t perfect either, we can honor her strength, admire the quiet dignity with which she bore her own sufferings, and marvel at her patience. But if Elinor had reason to feel separated from the others by temperament, to feel the burden of heavy responsibility for her loved ones, to feel her patience tested, it was nothing compared to what Jesus must have felt when he walked this earth! His strength, conduct, understanding, and judgment were perfect, and yet he was surrounded by weak and feeble-minded sinners, who often refused to accept his message meant for their salvation, who instead plotted to kill him. Yet he didn’t desert us. Why? For the same reason as Elinor: because he loved us, except with a love so superior that it is beyond our comprehension.
We stand in awe of the perfect one, who set us the highest example of patience and forbearance by sacrificing his all – his very life – to save the unworthy. We can never thank and praise him enough. We can never repay him for doing for us what was absolutely impossible for us to do ourselves: to achieve the salvation of our souls. Our only fit response is a life given back to Jesus in love and obedience, and through the grace of God to emulate our Lord – to endeavour after a truly Christian spirit to attain that temper of forbearance and patience of which our blessed saviour has set us the highest example. Paul wrote,
…as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:12-17)
In this passage, we’re instructed to love, to be joyful (singing), to be at peace, and to demonstrate patience, kindness, gentleness, and humility. Not surprisingly, this matches up nicely with the fruit of the Spirit outlined for us in Galatians 5:22. When we speak of desiring a truly Christian spirit, that’s what we are seeking – to see the character of Christ expressed in us by the working of the Holy Spirit.
Is that what you most deeply desire – to be conformed to the image of Christ? Read through – or rather, pray through – the Colossians passage again, this time praising God for his attributes, thanking him for what he has done, and asking him to cultivate spiritual fruit in your life. He will answer your prayer as you keep your eyes firmly fixed on Jesus, our highest example.
Let Us Pray
Oh, God, we are so quick to lose patience with others while expecting them to put up with our own idiosyncrasies. Forgive us, Lord, and by your Spirit conform us more and more to the image of your Son, the perfect model of love, sacrifice, and godly living. We thank you and praise you for the salvation you have purchased for us in Jesus, in whose holy name we pray. Amen.
Let Us Praise
Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise! (Revelation 5:12)
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Choicest Gift of Heaven
[a truly christian spirit] …which, while it prepares us for the spiritual Happiness of the life to come, will secure to us the best enjoyment of what this World can give.
It would be easy to take this last line out of context and conclude that Jane Austen is preaching a nineteenth century form of ‘prosperity gospel,’ saying that being godly will bring us all the best of what the world has to offer. This might seem a reasonable interpretation, especially considering that many of her characters are wealthy, and even some considered ‘poor’ (such as the Dashwood women) can afford to keep servants. But instead, I offer you a very different Austen example: Mrs. Smith of Persuasion, a crippled widow whose doggedly optimistic attitude, even under severe duress, garners Anne Elliot’s wonder and admiration.
…Anne’s astonishment increased. She could scarcely imagine a more cheerless situation in itself than Mrs. Smith’s. She had been very fond of her husband, - she had buried him. She had been used to affluence, - it was gone. She had no child to connect her with life and happiness again, no relations to assist in the arrangement of perplexed affairs, no health to make all the rest supportable… Yet, in spite of all this, Anne had reason to believe that she had moments only of languor and depression, to hours of occupation and enjoyment. How could it be? …Here was that elasticity of mind, that disposition to be comforted, that power of turning readily from evil to good, and of finding employment which carried her out of herself, which was from Nature alone. It was the choicest gift of Heaven… (Persuasion, chapter 17)
Anne rightly recognizes that Mrs. Smith’s ability to remain in good spirits amidst seemingly dismal circumstances is not of her own making – not a case of fortitude or of resignation only. It wasn’t a matter of putting on a brave face or artificially plucking up her courage. Mrs. Smith’s amazing temperament – being disposed to cheerfulness and contentment regardless of the situation – was from Nature, a gift of Heaven. In other words, it was the gift of God. In fact it was the best gift God could have given her, because it enabled Mrs. Smith not to simply endure her circumstances, but to find enjoyment in the midst of what life had dealt her.
By the same token, a “Christian spirit” isn’t something we can conjure up for ourselves. It isn’t something we can manufacture in our own strength, if only we try hard enough. For nothing good resides in our flesh, in our sinful natures (Romans 7:18). On the contrary, every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father (James 1:17).
I remember telling my son (when he complained about homework assignments he considered a waste of time, and again later about something more consequential) that there are a lot of things in life that we do or go through simply because we have to – not because they seem fair or make sense. “Your only choice,” I said, “is whether you’re going to be miserable about it or not.” But even that isn’t completely within our own power, is it? If we don’t already possess the God-given gift of a naturally resilient spirit like Mrs. Smith’s, we will need God’s special enabling to choose contentment over discontent. If it doesn’t come naturally, though, it can be learned, as Paul experienced.
I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:11-13)
Reading today’s prayer passage again, I noticed two things. First, I basically skipped over the best part – that a truly Christian spirit prepares us for our life to come. We rejoice that there will be no sin in heaven! But we need not sit around waiting for that day. Through the process of sanctification, God by his Holy Spirit is even now working to rid us of sin’s awful taint, cleansing and transforming us to make us fit for heaven.
Secondly, though, I must admit that my fingers are itching to do a minor edit on the other part of today’s prayer petition. I know that’s pretty presumptuous of me, but I think Jane Austen might approve. For clarity’s sake, I’d like to make the last line say that the same true Christian spirit will secure to us the best enjoyment of what God gives us in this world. God is the giver of good gifts, not the world, and we can find enjoyment in whatever gifts he chooses to bestow on us.
When asked what they want for themselves (or for their children), the average person will say something like, “I just want to be happy” (or “for them to be happy”). But happiness depends on circumstances, which can change at any moment. Wouldn’t it be much wiser to ask for the choices
t gift of Heaven? – the gift possessed by Mrs. Smith and by the apostle Paul, the gift of being joyful and content in all circumstances, the ability to dwell not on the evil but the good, the facility for finding employment that turns the focus from self to others.
Contrary to popular opinion, contentment is not the result of getting everything we want; it results from choosing to be satisfied with what we have. May God give each of us the capacity to discover and enjoy all the good in what he has given us as we look forward to heaven.
Let Us Pray
Heavenly Father, you are the giver of all good gifts. Create in us the true Christian character that will not only fit us for heaven but also allow us to be content in whatever circumstances you place us in this world. We thank and praise you in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Let Us Praise
I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. (Psalms 63:2-5)
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Playing Favorites
Incline us Oh God! to think humbly of ourselves, to be severe only in the examination of our own conduct…
I chose Mr. Collins as today’s poster child, the example of one who thinks humbly of himself and is severe only in the assessment of his own conduct. At least that’s the way he attempts to portray himself to his esteemed patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. The reality of the case is quite different, something the reader and any sensible observer can quickly surmise.
Mr. Collins was not a sensible man, and the deficiency of nature had been but little assisted by education or society… The subjugation in which his father had brought him up, had given him originally great humility of manner, but it was now a good deal counteracted by the self-conceit of a weak head, living in retirement and the consequential feelings of early and unexpected prosperity. A fortunate chance had recommended him to Lady Catherine de Bourgh when the living of Hunsford was vacant; and the respect which he felt for her high rank, and his veneration for her as his patroness, mingling with a very good opinion of himself, of his authority as a clergyman, and his rights as a rector, made him altogether a mixture of pride and obsequiousness, self-importance and humility. (Pride and Prejudice, chapter 15)
Aha! So Mr. Collins is not so humble after all, and his judgment of a person’s conduct depends entirely on who that person is. He thinks very well of himself. Lady Catherine, of course, can do no wrong in his eyes. But he doesn’t hesitate to condemn Lydia Bennet after her fall from grace, does he? – telling her father it would have been a blessing if his daughter had died instead, and advising him to throw off your unworthy child from your affection for ever, and leave her to reap the fruits of her own heinous offence.
There’s no defending Lydia’s behavior, but as a clergyman, wasn’t Mr. Collins supposed to be in the business of seeking to save the lost rather than casting them off forever? I wonder what he would have said if the offender had been the lofty Miss Anne de Bourgh instead! That’s what I’m really getting at here: Mr. Collins’s uneven attitudes and inconsistent behavior. To a rich noblewoman, he displays humility and eagerness to please; but a girl of no rank, he feels entitled to judge and dismiss. James of the Bible tells us,
MY BROTHERS, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? …If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. (James 2:1-4, 8-9)
Mr. Collins’s supposed humility is completely false, since he actually has a very good opinion of himself, his authority, and his rights. Even the extreme deference he shows Lady Catherine is an act of self-interest. By connecting himself to her name, he borrows her air of importance. By currying her favor, he hopes to benefit materially.
I’m sure I didn’t need to open your eyes to Mr. Collins’s flaws; his deficiencies and contradictions are easy enough to see. We’re more likely to be blind to our own.
Think carefully. Is there a Lady Catherine in your life? – someone you subconsciously consider more important than others, a person to whom you show particular deference, perhaps while at the same time ignoring someone else? Have you made a kind of idol of your favorite celebrity? How would you behave if you met them? Are you more likely to give special attention to a person who can do something for you over one who cannot? Have you caught yourself responding differently to people according to the way they look or dress? Have you ever condemned a stranger while at the same time rationalizing ‘cutting some slack’ for a friend (or yourself) who has done the same thing?
It’s all favoritism, which, according to scripture, makes us discriminatory, judges with evil thoughts, lawbreakers. If only we could see through God’s eyes, our vision and our judgment would be true.
Consider what happened when God chose David to be king over Israel. Samuel would have anointed David’s older and more impressive-looking brother Eliab. But God said to Samuel, “The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). God didn’t choose the eldest or the most successful by worldly standards; in this case, he chose the youngest, who was only trusted with the task of tending sheep. God didn’t pick the man who looked like the best prospect on the outside, but the man after his own heart.
May the awareness of our own faults and unworthiness make us humble and keep us from judging others severely. May we always view people through God’s eyes, looking past outward appearances to see someone not unlike ourselves: another person created and loved by God, another sinner for whom Jesus died.
Let Us Pray
Father God, You alone are worthy of our whole-hearted admiration and worship. Keep us from the sins of idolatry and favoritism. In our human weakness, we are prone to giving preferential treatment to some while judging others harshly. Forgive us, and be our vision, that we might always see you, ourselves, and others rightly. We ask it in Jesus’ holy name. Amen.
Let Us Praise
Praise and thanks and adoration, Son of God, to you we give. For you chose to serve creation, died that Adam’s heirs might live. Dear Lord Jesus, guide my way; faithful let me day by day follow where your steps are leading, find adventure, joys exceeding! (traditional hymn: “Praise and Thanks and Adoration,” text by Thomas H. Kingo, 1634-1703)
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Love Divine
…to consider our fellow-creatures with kindness, & to judge of all they say & do with that Charity which we would desire from men ourselves.
When I first read this line, I noticed at once its similarity to what is commonly known as the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Matthew 7:14 is usually cited as the source, where it stands as the closing line of a passage about God answering prayer (Ask… seek… knock… how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you…) But the very same thought also appears in Luke in an entirely different and far less comfortable context. Jesus says to a crowd of his disciples:
“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you
would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them… But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:27-36)
Of the two passages, I felt like this was the one I was supposed to focus on, but then I wondered what I should do with it. Since few if any of us measure up to this standard, it’s not exactly a feel-good teaching, is it? Behaving like this is completely counter-cultural too. It goes against our grain and our natural demand for fairness and justice. We think that being nice deserves being treated well in return; being cruel does not.
Besides, I couldn’t think of a single Austen character to use as an illustration, not a single one who demonstrated this kind of love for an enemy. Mr. Knightley gave generously to the Bates ladies without expecting any return, but they were friends, not enemies. Darcy spent much money to assist his enemy in the end, but he did it out of love for Elizabeth, not Wickham. I thought of Fanny Price’s forbearance towards the Crawfords and Aunt Norris. All commendable, yes, but still nothing close to the level of love Jesus was talking about in chapter six of Luke.
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