| The Every Day of Life |
Chapter 17 |
Page 6 |
And this is the friendship he would teach his disciples. As he loves us he would teach us he would have us love others. We say men are not worthy of such friendship. True, they are not. Neither are we worthy of Christ’s wondrous love for us. But Christ loves us not according to our worthiness, but according to the riches of his own heart. So should it be with our giving of friendship; not as the person deserves, but after the measure of our own character.
“He is not worthy, so you say,
And hence my love is thrown away.
You say, Of nature weak and small,
Giving not much but asking all,
He hath not grace to value it,
This love so almost infinite.
And if or not your words are true,
‘Tis thus and thus I answer you:
According to my cup I must
Pour out my wine, although the dust
Doth drink it up, when it should be
A living draught perpetually;
And I must break my wheaten bread,
Though none upon its strength are fed.
Remember that I must give as
I have to give, not as he has.
And that my nature, dear, not his,
The measure of my giving is.
Remember love’s heaven lies within
The heart that loves; that it doth win
From its own great munificence
Its amplest, truest recompense.”
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