“Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. “–Col. 4:6

There are very many things that may choke out love in the home. One of these is the lack of kindness. If you have grown less kind in your feelings, in your actions, and in your words–then love cannot thrive. Kindness is one of the best fertilizers for love.

There are so many people who have two sets of tones in which to speak–and two sets of manners in which they act. They have their company manners–and their family manners. When they have company–then the voice is soft and pleasant, and the manners are agreeable and kindly. They treat their friends with the greatest consideration; but as soon as their friends are gone, the pleasant voice changes into crossness or harshness and fault-finding–and the pleasantness of manner disappears! In how many homes is this true!

The greater consideration, the greater kindness–is due the home folks. Otherwise, love cannot flourish. If you wish to have love for your home folks–then you must show them the consideration that is due them.

Some professors of religion are like the catbird! When it is away from its nest–then it is one of the sweetest of the northern warblers; but when it is close to its nest–then you will hear only a harsh, discordant note. It has no sweetness in its voice while at its nest.

In the same way, some people reserve all their kindness, tenderness, and sweetness–for those outside the family circle. Is it any wonder that love dies in such a home? —Charles Naylor, 1920

“Let love be without dissimulation” (hypocrisy.)– Romans 12:9

Sometimes we can’t do what we would like because God doesn’t give us permission, but sometimes we can’t because we can’t. I recently started to write an article called “The Art of Aging” but decided that’s out of my league, for now. I don’t mind getting older, I just have a hard time adjusting to the physical limitations. I still have a desire to do things I used to do but I can’t. But I’m not alone. Many have it worse than I. At this moment there are many who have a great desire to serve God in various ways, but they can’t. There are dear saints in nursing homes, aged Sunday School teachers, and disabled preachers who have it in their heart to do things that they can’t. Their heart is willing, but their body, mind, or circumstances causes them to be unable to do what they would like to do. Not only do they have to deal with their desire being denied, they often worry about what others think–and that can be the toughest part. We should be more concerned with what God thinks about it. If you should do it you could do it.

My heart has been encouraged in this by knowing God knows it is in my heart, and that is enough to please Him. That’s all I wanted to do in the first place! What I wanted to do wasn’t important just because I had a desire to do it, but because it was pleasing to God– part of His plan for my life. Now I realize He has a different plan. It is a great blessing to know that God understands and says, “Well done”– although we didn’t do what we desired. God could have given me the ability to do what was in my heart, but He didn’t. He had a better plan and if I can’t be happy about that then I wasn’t qualified to do what I desired. So, having thought this through, I am now pleased that God is pleased with denying my desire. His will is all that matters!

“And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day “(Gen. 32:24).

Left alone! What different sensations those words conjure up to each of us. To some they spell loneliness and desolation, to others rest and quiet. To be left alone without God, would be too awful for words, but to be left alone with Him is a foretaste of Heaven! If His followers spent more time alone with Him, we should have spiritual giants again.

The Master set us an example. Note how often He went to be alone with God; and He had a mighty purpose behind the command, “When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray.”

The greatest miracles of Elijah and Elisha took place when they were alone with God. It was alone with God that Jacob became a prince; and just there that we, too, may become princes–“men (aye, and women too!) wondered at” (Zech. 3:8). Joshua was alone when the Lord came to him. (Josh. 1:1) Gideon and Jephthah were by themselves when commissioned to save Israel. (Judges 6:11 and 11:29) Moses was by himself at the wilderness bush. (Exodus 3:1-5) Cornelius was praying by himself when the angel came to him. (Acts 10:2) No one was with Peter on the house top, when he was instructed to go to the Gentiles. (Acts 10:9) John the Baptist was alone in the wilderness (Luke 1:90), and John the Beloved alone in Patmos, when nearest God. (Rev. 1:9)

Covet to get alone with God. If we neglect it, we not only rob ourselves, but others too, of blessing, since when we are blessed we are able to pass on blessing to others. It may mean less outside work; it must mean more depth and power, and the consequence, too, will be “they saw no man save Jesus only.”

To be alone with God in prayer cannot be over-emphasized.

If chosen men had never been alone,
In deepest silence open-doored to God,
No greatness ever had been dreamed or done.

–Streams in the Desert

“Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”–John 8:42–44

The world tells people they are okay just as they are, and sadly there are many churches echoing this message. The clear denunciation of sin and the fearless demand for repentance that characterized the preaching of the prophets and apostles has been replaced with a soothing message of acceptance. But while this message is popular, it is also deadly, for it leaves people complacent regarding sin.

The reality is that all of us were born with a sinful nature. David wrote, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me” (Psalm 51:5). The way we are is not acceptable to God because our natural inclination is to follow the selfish desires exhibited by Satan. We sin because we want to sin—it is our nature. It is considered horribly offensive to tell people that they are children of the devil. When Jesus said it, His hearers were so provoked that they tried to kill Him.

Every person born into the world since Adam has been a sinner by nature and by choice. The only hope to break free of the bondage of sin is a new nature that comes when we put our faith in Christ as our Saviour. While it may be easier in the moment to let those around you, who do not know the Lord believe their sin doesn’t matter, the most loving thing you can do is tell them of a Saviour who offers to give them true freedom.(Paul Chappell)