The Lily-work on the Pillars
Back to Fountain of Life
There were two massive pillars in the porch of Solomon's Temple which bore the names of "Jachin" and "Boaz." One name signifies "He will establish," and the other signifies "In strength." The two together are admirable emblems of solid goodness of character. Not hollow, not easily thrown off their base, and of undecaying material—they typify the firmness and the strength of the man who is immovably fixed, trusting on the Lord. But, while these two pillars were made strong, they were also made ornamental; for they were wreathed with delicate chains of carved pomegranates. Thus are strength and beauty to be combined in every well-developed Christian character.
Beauty is that combination of harmony in color or in form—which gives pleasure to the eye of the beholder. One of the profoundest prayers in the Bible is the prayer that the beauty of the Lord our God may be upon us. One of the richest promises is that "the meek will He beautify with salvation," and the loftiest ideal set before us is "the beauty of holiness." When our eyes gaze upon our enthroned Savior in his celestial splendors, then shall they "see the King in his beauty." It was the ineffable perfection of Jesus of Nazareth which not only constitutes the glory of the New Testament—but furnishes the most unanswerable argument for the essential divinity that was clothed in human form.
Christ enjoined upon every one of his disciples to study him, to learn of him, and to imitate his example. A true Christian is the representative of Christ in this world—the only embodiment of gospel teaching and influences, that is presented in human society. How vitally important is it, then, that those of us who profess and call ourselves Christians, should make our Christianity attractive! Multitudes of people know very little and think very little about the Lord Jesus; nearly all the ideas they get of his religion is what they see in those who profess it, and their eyes are as sharp as those of a lynx, to discover whether their neighbor is one whit the better for his religion. I will venture to say that the life of William E. Dodge was the most eloquent sermon in behalf of practical Christianity, which has been presented in this community lately. It was worth many a volume of ingenious Apologetics to refute infidelity and silence the gainsayers. "Then they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way." Titus 2:10
But not all the solid piety is as attractive as it might be made. There is many a Jachin and a Boaz—which has not much lily-work about his harsh and repulsive character. Of course we do not refer to such disgraceful delinquencies as some church members are guilty of, who defraud their neighbors, or steal trust funds, or practice knaveries in politics, or befoul themselves with sensual excesses. Such members of the flock do not wear a fleece big enough, to hide the wolf! But we might instance thousands of genuine Christians, honest at heart and sincere in their professions, who would be wonderfully improved by lopping off some of their unsightly branches.
Egotistical brother 'A' would look better in the eyes of his neighbors, if he had a more liberal hand. Brother 'B' is devout in his prayers—but his clerks and his employee's would enjoy hearing them better—if he did not treat them as if they were pack-mules. Mrs. 'C' is indefatigable in the Ladies' Benevolent Union; but her badly-clothed children look as if they needed a Dorcas Society at home. And so we might go through the alphabet with descriptions of those whom the grace of God has converted—but they have not added many of the graces of "lily-work" to their pious constructions. None of us need travel a mile to find some unquestionable Christians who sour their religion with censoriousness. Grant that their standard is high and exacting; but who made them judges over their neighbors? After an hour's talk with them, you acquire an insensible prejudice against some of the best people in your community.
Such Christians are in God's orchard; but they bear crab apples. Everybody respects their sincerity, both in creed and conduct; yet nobody loves them. I once had a venerable and most godly-minded member of my church who never did a very wrong act to my knowledge. Yet I am sorry to say that he scarcely ever did a pleasant one! There was a good, sound nut in that chestnut-burr; but no one liked to prick his fingers in coming at it. So the rugged, honest old man was left to go on his way to heaven—working and praying andscolding as he went stubbornly along; and even the children in the street were almost afraid to speak to him. I suppose he has grown more mellow, since he passed into the congenial atmosphere of the heavenly world. One of the most blessed things about heaven is that the best and holiest who are admitted there—will have left every disagreeable thing about them outside the gates!
Sanctification is a genuine and gracious process, and it never reaches completeness in this life. This should make us tolerant and charitable towards the infirmities of sincere followers of our Master. Yet it should never excuse our own wilful adherence to words, or practices, or traits of character which disfigure our religion and mar our influence. In building a character for eternity, we should regard its impression on our fellow-men; we are as much bound to ornament it with the "lily-work" as we are to make the structure solid and enduring.
An attractive Christian is the one who hits the most nearly that golden mean between love on the one hand—and firmness on the other hand. He is strict—but not censorious. He is sound—and yet sweet and mellow, as one who dwells much in the sunshine of Christ's countenance. He never incurs contempt by compromising with wrong, nor does he provoke others to dislike of him by doing right in a very harsh or hateful or bigoted fashion. Our Master is our model. What marvelous lily-work of gentleness, forbearance, and unselfish love adorned the massive divinity of that life! What he was, we, in our imperfect measure, should pray and strive after. Study Jesus, brethren. Get your souls saturated with his spirit. His grace imparted to you and his example imitated—can turn deformity into beauty, and adorn your lives with those things which are true and honest and lovely and of good report. He who wins souls is wise. But if we would win the careless and the godless to our Savior—we must make our daily religion more winsome.
Back to Fountain of Life