2.01.05. True, yet tender - tender, yet true

V. TRUE, YET TENDER— TENDER, YET TRUE.

“Ye are the salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.” — Mark 9:50.

|N this place the Lord is instructing his own disciples. We learn here not how one may become a Christian, but how one who is a Christian should demean himself in the world The lesson directly concerns not the roots but the fruits of the new life. Every step of progress that a believer makes in practical conformity to his Master’s example and precept, is a substantial gain. If we gain in godliness, we shall grow rich; and this species of wealth never flies away. When a mercantile telegram arrives from a distant land, and is exhibited in the exchange, men eagerly crowd around it. You may see them clustering like bees about the spot, and hanging one on the other’s shoulders, all eyes strained to learn the news. Even when the message relates immediately to battles fought and cities captured — to the slaughter of thousands and the capture of myriads — the interest of the onlookers is absorbed not in the facts that meet the eye, but in the possibilities that lie beneath them. The news of the crushing defeat or the glorious victory is regarded chiefly as an index of the probable price of cotton or the premium on gold. Such is the preponderating attraction of gain in the mercantile community.

Now here is a transaction which promises a profit.

Here is a message, short and pithy like the telegrams. It is a message from a far country, and it points to a good investment; it opens a prospect of great gain. Let us press near the intimation that has been flashed down upon us from a better country, and go in for a fortune on the field which it lays open. Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said: “ Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.” The two principal terms are Salt and Peace. Examine first their meaning, and next their relations.

I. The meaning of each.

1.Salt. As its natural effect is different in different circumstances, so also its meaning differs when metaphorically applied to moral character. It is not necessary, however, for our present purpose, to investigate the different shades of meaning which the metaphor bears, either in Scripture or in common language; for as used by the Lord and his apostles, its signification is obvious and sure. “ Ye are the salt of the earth... if the salt have lost his savour” — “Have salt in yourselves “ — “ Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt.” Keeping in view the reference to salt in the sacrifices, and the solemnizing announcements conveyed by its means in the immediate context, we gather easily, from a comparison of these passages, that salt, as a metaphor applied to human character in the New Testament, signifies in general the grace of God sanctifying the whole nature, and in particular the sterner virtues, — Faithfulness, boldness, righteousness, truth, purity. The term indicates holiness on its harder side; and holiness has a hard side, for it must needs be strong. In this use of the analogy the preserving power of salt is the predominating idea. Salt appears here as the stem, sharp antagonist of all corruption. Christians baptized into the Spirit of Christ act as salt in a tainted world. In union with the virtue that preserves, there is a pungency that pains. You may observe, however, that salt does not irritate whole skin. Apply it to an open sore, and the patient winces; but a healthy member of a living body does not shrink from its touch. A similar distinction obtains in the moral region. Stringent faithfulness in the conduct of his neighbour will not offend a just man: but those who do not give justice do not like to get it.

Purity in contact with impurity makes the impure miserable. Peter’s charge against the Jews after the resurrection was: “ Ye denied the Holy One and the Just”

It was precisely because he was holy and just that they denied him. The member that was covered with wounds violently shook off the salt that touched and by touching tormented it. Like draws to like, and unlike shrinks from unlike.

Salt in yourselves, then, means grace on its sterner side; an unbending truth and faithfulness, that preserves while it pains, but pains while it preserves.

2. Peace. Surely it is not necessary to explain what this word means. You may comprehend it without the aid of critical analysis. It is like the shining sun or the sweet breath of early summer; it is its own expositor.

Wherever it is, it makes its presence and its nature known. As the traveller who has missed hi» way thinks more of the light, and understands it better, while he is groping and stumbling in the dark than he did in the blaze of noon; so those best understand and value peace who suffer the horrors of war. You know the worth of it when you know the want of it. In communities, in churches, in families, those who groan under the rendings of strife can best tell you what peace is and how much it is worth.

Blessed is peace — blessed are the peacemakers. The greatest peace is, peace with the Greatest; the greatest peace is, peace with God. The Mediator, who makes this peace, is the greatest Peacemaker. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God: this is the first and great commandment; the second, which is like unto it, is. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. After the privilege of peace with God comes that of peace with your neighbour — peace with all the human brotherhood.

Peace — including all the characteristics of a Christian which make for peace — is holiness on its softer side; and holiness has a soft side, that it may win the world. As the disciples of Christ should combine the wisdom of the serpent with the harmlessness of the dove, so they should possess and display, in balanced union, the bold, biting strength of the preserving salt and the gentleness of the little child whom Jesus set as a pattern in the midst.

“I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed “ — behold the salt! “ All things to all men, that I might gain some “ — behold the peacefulness!

II. The reciprocal relation between salt in ourselves and peace with one another. In a certain sense, and to a certain extent, these two are true opposites. In some measure salt in you is antagonist to peace with your neighbour; and peace maintained with your neighbour is antagonist to the vigour of salt in yourselves. Accordingly, error appears alternately in two opposite directions. One man has so much salt in himself that he cannot maintain peace with his neighbours; another man is so soft and peaceable towards all that he manifests scarcely any of the faithfulness which is indicated by the salt.

It is interesting and instructive to examine the extent and the limits of this antagonism. In point of fact, and among men, faithfulness does sometimes disturb peace; and peace is sometimes obtained at the expense of faithfulness. At one time you are in a strait, because, if you show faithfulness, you will break the peace; and at another you are in a strait, because, if you keep the peace, you must hold truth in abeyance. The difficulty really exists, and frequently crosses our path in life; but we need not be surprised, and need not be despondent. It is not inherent in the nature, but introduced by the sin of man. When Christ has made an end of sin, the contradiction will disappear from the new world. Those white-robed multitudes that surround the throne are very peaceful, and yet very pure; are very pure, and yet very peaceful. There the salt does not disturb, because there is no corruption to be irritated by contact with holiness; there the peace does not degenerate into indifference, for there is no vile appetite to be indulged. That will be joyful, joyful! when all shall have salt in themselves, and all peace with each other.

Nothing shall hurt or destroy in all that holy mountain. In the meantime — like the necessity for labour — that which comes as a curse is, under the arrangements of Providence, converted into a blessing. As toil to keep down thorns and thistles is a useful exercise for physical health, so effort to maintain faithfulness without breaking peace keeps the spirit healthful and fits it for heaven. All the more fully grown and perfect will the heirs of the kingdom be when they reach their rest, that they were compelled to exert themselves during their course in the world. No effort is lost; every expenditure of energy in God’s work tells on the education of God’s child. Every exertion made by a disciple of Christ to soften his own faithfulness and invigorate his own tenderness goes to increase the treasures which he shall enjoy at God’s right hand. It is thus that the saved work of their own salvation.

Similar antagonisms in the system of nature constitute at once the exercise and the evidence of the Creator’s skill. Results are frequently obtained through the imion of antagonist forces neutralizing each other. A familiar example is supplied by the centripetal and centrifugal forces, which insure the stability of the solar system. Take another case, equally instructive, though not so obvious. In the structure of a bird, with a view to the discharge of its functions, two qualities, in a great measure reciprocally antagonistic, must be united; these are strength and lightness. As a general rule, strength is incompatible with lightness, and lightness incompatible with strength.

You cannot increase the one without proportionally diminishing the other. The body of the bird must float in the air, therefore it must be proportionally lighter than quadrupeds or fishes; but the creature must sustain itself for long periods in the atmosphere, and perform journeys of vast length, therefore its members must be strong. The structure of a bird, accordingly, exhibits a marvellous contrivance for the combination of the utmost possible strength with the utmost possible lightness. Every one is familiar with the structure of the feathers that compose the wing. The quill barrel gives you an example of a minimum of material so disposed as to produce a maximum of strength. The bones of birds are formed on the same plan. They are greater in circumference than the corresponding bones of other animals, but they are however in the heart. In iron castings we repeat the process which we have learned from nature. This union of antagonists for the production of a common beneficent result is like the labour of a Christian life. Be gentle to all without sacrificing any truth; be faithful to truth without giving needless offence to any brother. There should be meekness of spirit, speech, and conduct in a Christian, that he may have peace with his neighbours; but there should be a stem, unyielding righteousness in a Christian, that, wherever his lot may be cast, he may act as a salt to counteract all corruption. The task set before us is difficult, but not impossible.

Much watchfulness, prayerfulness, perseverance, and self sacrifice are required in order that you may do it; but it may be done. The disciple who would accomplish this task must labour hard; but hard labour applied to this task will not be labour lost. In this business the hand of the slothful remaineth empty; but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.

We are ignorant of many things; but the object in creation which most successfully escapes our scrutiny is precisely that which lies nearest us — ourselves. The heart is deceitful above all things. We do not pronounce righteous judgment when our own thoughts and ways are under trial. Self-love, like a huge lump of iron concealed under the deck right below the ship’s compass, draws the magnet aside; thus the life takes a wrong direction, and the soul is shipwrecked. Self-love draws the life now to the right and now to the left; the errors lie not all on one side. One man, soft from selfishness, basely sacrifices truth and duty for ease; another, hard from selfishness, bristles all over with sharp points, like thorns that tear the flesh of the passenger, and when he has kindled discord among brethren, calls his own bad temper faithfulness to truth. There is no limit to the aberration of a human judgment under the bias of self-interest. It will not scruple to dispute the distinction between black and white, if it can thereby hope to gain its selfish end. Oh, how precious are these words of our Lord, “ Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.” It is easier to explore the sources of the Nile, than to discover the true motives whence our own actions spring; and easier to turn the Nile from his track, than to turn the volume of thoughts and purposes which issue from a human heart and constitute the body of a human life. We cheat ourselves and our neighbours as to the character of our motives and the meaning of our acts. Nothing that defileth shall enter heaven; purged we must be ere we go in. It is time to begin and get the work forward a stage or two. “ Put off the old man with his deeds.” Watch on the right side, and watch on the left.

1. On the side of peace. It is true there cannot be too much peace in a community; and there cannot be too much of the gentle and peace-making in the character and conduct of a man. But if the folds of our peace are so large, and thick, and warm, as to overlay and smother our faithfulness, the peacemakers are not blessed by God, and are not blessings to the world. This soft carcass that has no salt in it soon runs into decay. To have peace one with another is only half of the commandment; and half of a commandment, like half of an animal body, cannot live alone; it goes into corruption.

One who is constitutionally soft and indolent may not only sinfully fail in faithfulness; he may even take credit for his fault, and blame a brother for want of love who tempers his’ love with the due proportion of righteous firmness. Let the timid and retiring nature stir up his soul to a greater measure of truthful courage, without letting any of his gentleness go. Let the vine of his tenderness cling to an oak of stem faithfulness; it will thus bear more fruit than if it were allowed to trail on the ground.

2. On the side of truth and faithfulness. There cannot be too much of faithfulness in the character of a Christian; but even faithfulness to truth may become hurtful, if it is dissociated from the gentleness of Christ. The arms that impart strength to the chair may only hurt the occupant, if they lack the cushion that ought to cover them. For strength, there should be an iron hand in the velvet glove; but for softness, a velvet glove should be on the iron hand when it grasps the flesh of a brother.

Some people mistake acid for salt; their own passions for godly zeal. Jehu drives furiously forward to purify the administration of the kingdom; but it is a cruel, selfish ambition that spurs him on. When such a man scatters a shower of acid from his tongue, and sees that his neighbours are hurt by the biting drops, he points to their contortions, and exclaims, See how pungent my salt is! The true savour is in my salt; for see how these people smart under its sting! Ah, the acid, in common with salt, makes a tender place smart in a brother; but it possesses not, in common with salt, the faculty of warding off corruption.

Itself corrupts and undermines; it corrodes and destroys all that it drops upon, “ Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God.”

Let every one suspect himself. Watch especially the side in which the weakness lies. But, alas I how shall we know that side? The deceitfulness of a human heart often consists in this, that it persuades the dupe that what is really his weakness is his strength. Blind humanity makes a merit of its besetting sin. How shall we find out our ailment? ’* Search me, O God see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

Carry the war into the enemy’s country, and strike home there. But where is the enemy’s country? Alas! it is mainly here; down in the secret chambers of the heart* Those enemies that are within the fortress have the greatest power to hurt. Strike them first, and strike them with all your might.

If a deadly viper should alight upon your flesh, you would strike a sudden sharp blow with the first weapon that might come to hand. You would not bring the stroke down gently and waveringly, in order to save your skin.

You would smite quick and strong, although you should thereby wound your own body, in order that you might destroy the viper ere it had time to sting. “ All that a man hath will he give for his life.” Would that the children of light were as wise in their generation; would that ourselves were as wise in counsel, and as prompt in action, when the soul’s life and health are concerned, as we are when we are called to preserve the health and life of the body. But we have apostolic example to sustain us in administering sharp reproof. “ Enemies of the cross of Christ,” said Paul, in addressing his well-beloved Ephesians. He rims the sword boldly through, and spares not for their crying. But let ignorant and rash physicians beware how they imitate that great master. He did, indeed, administer to his patients a biting reproof; but there were two ingredients in the prescription. One alone would kill and not cure. Such remedies are too potent for being safely intrusted to inexperienced hands. Paul told the Philippians to their face that they were enemies of the cross of Christ, but he told it weeping. Ah, those tears, thrown into the potion along with the scalding reproof, took all the burning out, and made the word mighty to save.

Alas! in this form the truth is often turned into a lie.

Even the terrors of the Lord rattled forth hard and dry from an unmoved human heart, lose their divinity when they lose their tenderness, and degenerate into a scold.

God is love while he sends out his threatenings; man should be loving when he ventures to gather these bolts from the Bible and point them to a brother’s breast.

Let us press with all our might, and press always on both sides, — as far towards tenderness as truth will permit us to go, and as far towards faithfulness as the line of love will allow. Between these two divinely balanced opposites — between the salt and the peace — between steadfast truth and a gentle, winsome brotherliness, let the Christian life swing round the circumference of time, as those heavenly orbs revolve in beauty and safety, balanced between the force that drives them off and the force that keeps them near. Do you ask what mainly hinders the union of Christians in these days? I answer, it is the practical divorce of this paradise pair, whom God has commanded us to bind in a perpetual wedlock. The softness that suffers sin upon a brother, and the hardness that proudly tears a brother because of his sin — these two are the dividers, the disturbers of Israel. If we could pour enough of love into our faithfulness, and enough of faithfulness into our love, an amalgam would come forth from the crucible fitted to weld into one all the dislocated members of Christ’s body, the Church.