| The Every Day of Life |
Chapter 16 |
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George MacDonald says, “If I can put one touch of a rosy sunset into the life of any man or woman, I shall feel that I have worked with God.” That is very beautiful: but suppose it not be a rosy sunset, but a touch of wounding, or marring, of defiling, that we put into a life, – have we not wrought with the enemy of souls, in the harming of immortalities?
We all know, too, that it is easier to do harm than good to other lives. There is a quality in the human soul, which makes it take more readily, and retain more permanently, touches of sin than touches of holiness. Among the ruins of some old temple there was found a slab which bore very faintly and dimly the image of the king, and in deep, clear indentations the print of a dog’s foot. So human lives are apt to take less deeply the image of the Father’s face, and more ineffaceably the impressions of evil things. It needs, therefore, in us, infinite carefulness and watchfulness, as we walk ever amid other lives, lest by some word, or look, or act, or disposition, or influence of ours, we hurt them irreparably.
The lesson touches home-life. It is sad if the harm be only in their bodies, making them lame or infirm through all their years; but it is sadder still when their characters are marred through faulty education or training; when they are sent into life unfitted for its duties, unprepared for meeting its responsibilities, only to fail in its struggles, because we were negligent in our training of them. Saddest of all is it when by sinful example, or by the lack of religious culture, we maim their souls, wound or scar their spiritual natures, and send them, moral cripples, into life. Greatest of crimes is the hurting of a child’s soul.
But parents are not the only persons who may harm the lives of others. There is not a fallen life anywhere in the depths of sin and shame that once was not innocent and beautiful. Somebody whispered the first unholy thought in the unguarded ear. Somebody started the first suggestion of evil and kindled the first wrong desire in the breast. Somebody led the unwary feet into the first steps of wandering. Somebody first caused Christ’s little one to stumble, and after that, through all the years, the life was misshapen. There is always a first temper, one that causes the innocent to stumble. The tempter may go his way, and may walk among honorable men with no brand upon his brow, with no finger pointed at him, while the victim of his tempting moves in weakness and sadness toward deeper shame and utter ruin. Society is full of such moral tragedies. But God does not forget. The hidden things shall be brought to light. The maiming or hurting of a soul, though no man know now whose the sad work is, some day will reveal its own story. Its secret will be declared in the glare of noon.
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