COUNSEL WITH KINDNESS
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.--Ephesians 4:32
How careful we should be in giving advice lest our counsel should result in great evil and suffering. How much better for the families to go out into some other cities or some other country, but never encourage the spirit of defiance and resistance, even if they are placed in the chain gang. The bigotry that exists, the prejudice against truth to sustain religious error is firm, for the human agent is stirred with hellish power from beneath....
Our work is to study to weed out of all our discourses everything that savors of retaliation and defiance and making a drive against churches and individuals, because this is not Christ's way and method. He did not pronounce scathing rebukes against those who knew not the truth, but against those whom God had made the depositaries of sacred responsibilities, a people chosen and favored with every temporal and spiritual advantage, and yet bearing no fruit. (Letter 35, November 21, 1895)
Cannot you see that eternal interests are involved in your life practice? Every one is deciding his own destiny. He who reigns in heaven allows every man to take his position to hasten or retard his Lord's appearing. All who consent to be freed from their natural selfishness, and to [be] changed with the Holy Spirit of God, are taking part with God. As the human channel they are pouring forth the currents of divine influence. Their work has God's blessing within it. (Letter 63, April 20, 1896)
REFLECTION: You need the kindness, courtesy, meekness, and lowliness of Christ. You have many valuable qualifications that can be perfected for highest service if sanctified to God. You should feel the necessity of approaching your brethren with kindness and courtesy, not with harshness and severity. You do not realize the harm you do by your sharp, domineering spirit toward them....This is not as the Lord would have it. He is not pleased with your attitude toward your brethren. (Letter 22a, January 18, 1889)
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.--Ephesians 4:32
How careful we should be in giving advice lest our counsel should result in great evil and suffering. How much better for the families to go out into some other cities or some other country, but never encourage the spirit of defiance and resistance, even if they are placed in the chain gang. The bigotry that exists, the prejudice against truth to sustain religious error is firm, for the human agent is stirred with hellish power from beneath....
Our work is to study to weed out of all our discourses everything that savors of retaliation and defiance and making a drive against churches and individuals, because this is not Christ's way and method. He did not pronounce scathing rebukes against those who knew not the truth, but against those whom God had made the depositaries of sacred responsibilities, a people chosen and favored with every temporal and spiritual advantage, and yet bearing no fruit. (Letter 35, November 21, 1895)
Cannot you see that eternal interests are involved in your life practice? Every one is deciding his own destiny. He who reigns in heaven allows every man to take his position to hasten or retard his Lord's appearing. All who consent to be freed from their natural selfishness, and to [be] changed with the Holy Spirit of God, are taking part with God. As the human channel they are pouring forth the currents of divine influence. Their work has God's blessing within it. (Letter 63, April 20, 1896)
REFLECTION: You need the kindness, courtesy, meekness, and lowliness of Christ. You have many valuable qualifications that can be perfected for highest service if sanctified to God. You should feel the necessity of approaching your brethren with kindness and courtesy, not with harshness and severity. You do not realize the harm you do by your sharp, domineering spirit toward them....This is not as the Lord would have it. He is not pleased with your attitude toward your brethren. (Letter 22a, January 18, 1889)
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