BLEMISHES FOUND IN CHRISTIAN MEN AND WOMEN

Dear Family,

For the next seven days I am going to use my devotional to reveal blemishes in Christian men and women as portrayed by John Newton, the author of Amazing Grace. I have none of you in mind but I have seen much of myself a number of times. I would suggest, along with Newton, that you not work to find "improprieties of conduct" among your families or Christian friends but carefully examine whether you cannot, in one or the other of them, find some traces of your own features. Newton states " A Christian, by the tenor of his high calling, is bound to avoid even the appearance of evil; and his deportment should not only be upright as to his leading principles, but amiable and engaging, and as free as possible from every inconsistence and blemish...it would be well if they could be made so sensible of them, and of their ill effects, as that they might earnestly watch, and strive and pray against them." Newton states, "though I speak of men only, counterparts may doubtless be found among the women."

No. 1. AUSTERUS is a solid and exemplary Christian. He has a deep, extensive, and experimental knowledge of divine things. Inflexibly and invariably true to his principles, he stems with a singularity the torrent of the world, and can neither be bribed nor intimidated from the path of duty He is a rough diamond of great intrinsic value, and would sparkle with a distinguished luster, if he were more polished: but though the Word of God is his daily study, and he prizes the precepts as well as the promises, more than thousands of gold and silver, there is one precept he seems to have overlooked; I mean that of the apostle, BE COURTEOUS. Instead of that gentleness and condescension which will always be expected from a professed follower of the meek and lowly Jesus; there is a harshness in his manner which makes him more admired than beloved; and they who truly love him, often feel more constraint than pleasure in his company. His intimate friends are satisfied that he is no stranger to true humility of heart; but these are few. By others he is thought proud, dogmatic, and self important; nor can can this prejudice against him be easily removed, until he can lay aside that cynical air which he has unhappily contracted.

Not a problem for you? Your time is coming!! DGDAF