She must not make plans of her own for the years to come. She never needed Christ more than she needs him now, and will need him in the days and the months before her. She must let him lead her, let him plan for her, mark out the way. He must build the life for her. He must have much of the love she has to give. Bereavement is common. No family long misses a break in its circle. Let the break be met with courage! Courage and unselfishness are developed by great sorrow or suffering. In times of overwhelming danger and disaster people rise to unusual heroism. George Kennan tells of the remarkable exhibition of courage and generous characteristics shown by the people of San Francisco during the great earthquake and fire. The behavior of the population after the disaster impressed those who witnessed it. One thoughtful and undemonstrative man said he was glad he had lived to see the things that happened the first ten days after the great catastrophe. Those days were the best and most inspiriting, he said, of all his life. Religious people talked about the kingdom of heaven. "Cowardice, selfishness, greed, and all the baser emotions and impulses of human character practically disappeared in the tremendous strain of that experience, and courage, fortitude, sympathy, generality, and unbounded self-sacrifice took their places. Men became and for a short time continued to be all that we may suppose the Creator intended them to be, and it was a splendid and inspiring thing to witness. A like display of the finer and nobler qualities of human nature was witnessed that terrible night on the sea when the Titanic went down. The majority of the passengers and crew behaved with the most remarkable courage, and the most noble unselfishness. Let God-through your bereavement— bring out the finer and nobler qualities in you. "When I have time, so many things I'll do To make life happier and more fair For those whose lives are crowded now with care; "When I have time, the friend I love so well Shall know no more these weary toiling days; I'll lead her feet in pleasant paths always, And cheer her heart with words of sweetest praiseWhen I have time!" When you have time, the friend you hold so dear May be beyond the reach of all your sweet intent; May never know that you so kindly meant To fill her life with sweet content When you had time! Now is the time! Ah, friend, no longer wait To scatter loving smiles and words of cheer To those around, whose lives are now so dear; They may not heed you in the coming year— Now is the time! CHAPTER X Comfort through Personal Help fulness VERY true Christian desires to be helpful. He longs to make his life a blessing to as many people as possible. He wishes to make the world better, his neighborhood brighter and sweeter, every life he touches, in even casual associations, somewhat more beautiful. It is worth while that we should think just how we must live if our lives would reach this ideal. We cannot come upon this kind of a life accidentally. We do not drift into a place and condition of great usefulness. Every man has his secret, something that is the keynote of his life. The secret of personal helpfulness is love in the heart. No one can be a blessing to others if he does not love. Nothing but love will make another happier, will comfort sorrow, will relieve loneliness, will give cheer. |