"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
Ephesians 5:1-2
Many years ago a tract was published with the title 'Tenderness of Spirit'. Here is an excerpt from it which underlines what was said at the end of yesterday's Note:
'Deep tenderness of spirit is the very soul and marrow of the Christ-life. Without it, the most vigorous life of righteousness and zeal, and good works, and rigid purity of morals, and missionary reform and profuse liberality, and ascetic self-denial and most blameless conduct utterly fail to measure up to the Christ-life unveiled in the New Testament.
'It is possible to be very religious and persevering in all Christian duties, to be a brave defender and preacher of holiness, to be mathematically orthodox and blameless in outward life, and very zealous in good works, and yet be greatly lacking in tenderness of spirit.
'Many religious people seem loaded with good fruits, but the fruit tastes green. It lacks flavour and October mellowness. There is a touch of vinegar in their sanctity. Their purity has an icy coldness to it. They seem to have a baptism on them, but it is not composed of those sweet spices of cinnamon and calamus and cassia which God told Moses to compound, as a fragrant type of the Holy Spirit. Their testimonies are straight and pointed, but they lack the melting quality. Their prayers are intelligent and strong and pointed, but they lack the heart-piercing pathos of the dying Jesus. The summer heat in them is lacking. They preach eloquently, and explain with utmost nicety what is actual and original sin, and what is pardon and purity, but they lack the burning flame ...'.