“ I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY TO YOU”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26115, 30 March 1946, Page 5

“ I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY TO YOU”

Written for the Otago Daily Times By the Rev. Gardner Miller. Christ was the most companionable of men. To read the story of His life in those few little books of the New Testament which have escaped • time’s decaying touch is just to read of his contacts with men, women, and children. I am sure Jesus would agree evert today—as certainly He would have agreed when He lived on earth physically long ago—that men are only' two realities in life, namely, God and the Individual. I have spelled Individual with a capital to indicate how important You and I are. To God there is nobody nearly so important as a man, or woman, or child, not even the arch-angels and the hosts of ministering spirits in the gloryland. Jesus loved men and women. He knew they were incomplete until they became united, by faith, with God. So in all His sayings and doings there’ was this common background and urge, the need to bring about that union. He loved company and He was easy in company. It is not given to everyone to be able not only to put a company at ease, but also to make it possible for anybody and everybody to be perfectly natural. If you care to examine the conversation that Jesus had at dinner table, you will see just what I mean. I am far away from my books just now, but there is a buzzing in my memory (like a bee in my bonnet) the recollection that J. Alexander Whyte, of Free St. George’s, Edinburgh, has a glowing chapter in one of his quickening books about Jesus at table. Our Lord always made the meal, the common meal, whether it was in a fisherman’s, cottage or a rich man’s dwelling, the occasion, not so much of preaching a sermon (that would be a 1 terrible price to pay for a free meal), but of' breaking down barriers so that God could join the folks round the table.

And of course when God joins you at a meal you must be prepared not only for high company, but also for frankness that uncovers the roots of speech and conduct—but a frankness that does not wish to'hurt but only to heal. A perfect example of that will be found in that delightful account — I wonder who reported it—of the dinner to which Jesus was invited recorded in the seventh chapter of Luke.

From verse 36 to verse 50 we have one of the exquisite stories of the New Testament. Jesus is a guest of Simon. The house of Simon is a well-to-do one. Dining in those days was quite a public affair, not the almost secretive thing it is with us. The passers-by could look in and, if daring enough, step in. At this dinner party one did step in. A woman, greatly daring, yes, but Simon would have said she was greatly daring because she had lost her womanly decency, she was common. But Jesus never believed that anyone was common, that is, that anyone should be looked down on by others. Jesus knew—and so do we—that often the differences in the walks of life are due not so much to inferiority, but very much to circumstances. Simon was contemptuous. Jesus was moved by what this woman had done to Him. Incidentally, Simon would never have been heard of but for the visit of this woman. With frankness Jesus turned to Simon and said: “ Simon, I have something to say to you.” I do not think Simon knew what was coming, but I am certain he would never forget what was said to him. Jesus told him a little story about a financial deal and what came of it. And then with a direct thrust he opened out Simon’s soul and showed him the sorry contents. Be Charitable There were two qualities missing in Simon’s soul. He was well-to-do and was no doubt well thought of, but he lacked a charitable outlook, The other lack was humility. He dismissed this woman men scorn; indeed I do not think he considered her at all as anything more than a sordid piece of society’s wreckage. But Jesus’ saw her as a lady-in-being; that is, He saw her as one capable of being united with God —which was always the aim

of His walk and conversation. She had been redeemed by His love, we know not how or where, and in her gracious and costly act .He saw not only repentance, but also a love that counted not the cost. Be charitable, He said to Simon. Your superiority has blinded you to this woman’s—and all women like her—worth. $ You are what you are not because you are of different clay, but only because you have not been tempted and she has been tempted. And if you will read the story carefully and slowly you will feel that He is talking to you. This matter of charity is one that touches everyone of us. When we are inclined to feel superior it is good to be reminded that “ there, but for the grace of God, am I.” I sometimes wonder if what has prevented many of us from making utter fools of ourselves and' making our names a by-word has been not so much our strength in resisting temptation as that we have been fortunate in not being tempted along certain ways. Lack of opportunity may be the reason why there are so many Simon’s; not superiority. There is nothing like trying to put yourself in

the other party’s place for keeping you from being sarcastic and—cruel. We have all so many sides to our nature, and what may not move some may be like a blast of wind to others before which they cannot stand erect. To make up your mind, and act upon it, that you will never look down on any poor human creature who has mhde a mess of things, will do more for your soul than anything else I know, excepting keeping daily in the presence of Christ. Be Humble But vou will notice that Jesus'was not only frank to Simon about this woman, but He was very frank about Simon’s attitude to Himself. Jesus was insulted—if He had cared to make an issue of it; many would have walked out of the house because of the scant courtesy shown to a guest—but all He was concerned about was not His own

feelings, but the state of soul of His host. ? i You see how Jesus brought the matter to a pitch! It simply meant this, nothing is right with ourselves or between ourselves and others if we are not right with Him. You see what' I mean? Jesus was bringing the whole of life and its outlook up to the plane of union with God, through Himself. Is this how you treat God, Simon! Such scant courtesy! Does it not surprise you that God is so patient with you! You lack humility, Simon. I think most of us have little or nothing to say for ourselves in this matter. “What shall I render unto th Lord?”—and we render very little. To be humble does not mean that we be abject. No, it means that we be honourable. Realising what God has done for us, what He can be to us, how can we be so careless in our hospitality to Him! He loves to be at our tables. Give Him His rightful place. Here is a Grace for table that I love; “ O Lord, be Thou our Host.”