May 10
Daily Gleanings of the Saintly LifeFriday in Passion Week
A friend of . . . sinners. S. Matthew 11:19.
Few things are more delightful, encouraging, comforting, than Christian intercourse, when we find others suffering from the same trials, the same temptations, difficulties, and drawbacks that we do ourselves. It shows us that we have not been worse than others; it reminds us of the difficulties which we must expect; that if they escaped safely through it all, we may surely hope the same; the same grace to aid us, the same Spirit to guide us, the same Saviour to pardon us, the same God to love us, the same heaven to give us rest. But more especially is this our comfort when the fellow-sufferer is Jesus Christ Himself; when in our trials, our sufferings, our difficulties, above all in our temptations, He too was like us. Follow Him into all the stages of His earthly career, we find His sympathy still.
Are these the tracks of some unearthly Friend, His footprints and his vesture-skirts of light, Who, as I talk with men, conforms aright Their sympathetic words, or deeds that blend With my hid thought; or stoops him to attend My doubtful-pleading grief; or blunts the might Of ill I see not; or in dreams of night Figures the scope in which what is will end? Were I Christ's own, then fitly might I call That vision real; for to the thoughtful mind That walks with Him, He half unveils His Face; But when on earth-stained souls such tokens fall, These dare not claim as theirs what there they find, Yet, not all hopeless, eye His boundless grace.