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The Greatest of These JUDGE SEPTIMUS J. HANNA, CSD Part II It is no mystery that the love which gives itself for others, should be kind even though it has suffered long; that it should not be envious of the success or achievements of others, neither puffed up because of its own accomplishments. Its behavior could not be unseemly when it seeks not its own but another's good; neither can it be easily provoked, for it thinketh no evil. Inasmuch as it rejoiceth in the Truth, it is not strange that it is never found to rejoice in iniquity. How grand, and yet how natural the conclusion that love never faileth, and because this is true it "beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." God is Love and He is no respecter of persons, therefore the reflection of Love cannot be a respecter of persons. Love exalts no personality, it opposes and debases no personality. Love stands firm for Principle and is opposed to evil in all its forms, wherever it may make its appearance. Love makes no concession to persons or opinions, but in all things it strictly adheres to the demands of divine Principle. Let it not be thought, however, that love is passive, always acquiescing in whatever presents itself. Love is ever alert and unceasing in its numerous activities. It has its individuality and maintains it under all circumstances. The beauty of love is manifest in that it accords to another all the rights and privileges it claims for itself. Because Truth is mighty and will prevail, man will eventually be led to see and depart from all the errors he may indulge. Since this is true, love obeys the Scriptural injunction "Judge not, that ye be not judged," and leaves the neighbor free to act as his own sense of right dictates. The life of joy and satisfaction which is experienced by the one who has, so far as he is concerned, left others free to work in accordance with their sense of Truth and right, cannot be realized until the love of which the Apostle writes, takes up its abode in the human heart. What greater or more vital rule of action was ever promulgated than that saying of the Master which has been called the Golden Rule? Nothing but love will enable one to keep that rule inviolate. No matter how strong may be the desire to do so, or how clearly one may see that it would be decidedly to his advantage, materially and otherwise, to do unto others as he would have them do unto him, it is an utter impossibility to attain this height of Christian living without the aid of divine Love. He who gives according to the requirements of this rule is blessed infinitely more than he who merely receives. To receive is not enough, one must give if he would enjoy the greatest blessing. If one were placed in a position where every person with whom he came in contact did just as he would be done by, his happiness would be far from complete unless he himself were likewise an observer of the Golden Rule. Man's happiness is dependent, not so much upon whether he is the recipient of love, as upon whether he is the giver of love. Truly "it is more blessed to give than to receive." Human love requires a reason for loving, but the love of which Paul writes is the forever unfolding of itself, and is not of necessity dependent upon outside influences. Because Love is reflected regardless of persons, conditions, or surroundings, that which according to human sense is undeserving of love, is blessed of the Father who "maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." "Herein is love," says John, "not that we loved God, but that he loved us . . . . Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." This love does not encourage the sinner to indulge his sinning sense, causing him to feel that he can sin and not pay the penalty for sin; rather does it cause the wicked to "forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts." As the goodness of God leads to genuine repentance, so the influence of love causes the undeserving to feel his unworthiness, and creates within the human breast a desire to be found worthy of the blessings bestowed upon it. Love inspires one to think pure thoughts, speak kind words, and perform noble deeds. It leads man onward and upward and never causes a backward step. As the light and warmth of the sun causes the plant to bring forth bud and blossom, so the reflection of Love quickens thought, reveals man's true identity as the child of God and enables him to bring forth the fruits of righteousness. Love is indeed the pearl of great price; its value cannot be estimated by human methods of calculation. Love is no counterfeit, it is the genuine coin of the spiritual realm. Love acts no studied part; it has no occasion to pretend to be what it is not. It is just as natural for love to be kind to the unfortunate and helpless, polite to strangers as well as friends, considerate of the rights and wishes of others, unselfish and upright in all its dealings, as it is for the stars to illumine the darkness, or the sun to shine on a cloudless day. Love is honest, fair, and open. It loves the light because all its deeds are good. It rejoices when the searchlight of Truth is turned upon its, innermost being, for there is nothing there to cause a blush of shame or a single thought of regret. Love never plays the part of the hypocrite or the dissembler. It has no need to pretend to be what it is not or to attempt to conceal its real character. Counterfeits of love there are in abundance. In speech and action they would deceive, but love dwells in the heart of him who expresses it and truly blesses all those with whom it comes in contact. When we meet one who has the love of which the Apostle writes, we feel that we have found a friend. Even though we had never seen him before, yet he does not seem like a stranger to us, for we have felt the touch of that love which "makes the whole world kin." This friend may see our defects and shortcomings even more clearly than we ourselves can see them, yet we do not feel that we are turned away because of our infirmities; rather do we realize that we have found a friend whose love is saving us from the errors we so much dread, yet have been unable to escape. When he speaks of our faults, it is to our face and for our own good. If it means so much to find such a friend, how much more must it mean to be such a friend! When we stop to consider how much true love, which fadeth not away, will do for its possessor and all those who come into its presence, is it any wonder that the Apostle should say "but the greatest of these is love"?
by Judge Septimus J. Hanna, CSD The Christian Science Journal, August, 1901 |
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