Article January 6, 1934 Issue

Loving-Kindness

MABEL METZGER HERD

Loving-Kindness ! How the warmth and glow of the thought floods the heart! Loving-kindness is an attribute of divine Love and is expressed through man. When the spiritual sense of love is attained, we express this quality. In "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy writes (p. 272): "The spiritual sense of truth must be gained before Truth can be understood. This sense is assimilated only as we are honest, unselfish, loving, and meek."

Christ Jesus perfectly exemplified the power of loving-kindness. His every thought, word, deed was compassionate. He made manifest the Father's love set forth in the words of Jeremiah, "The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." He went about doing good, binding up the broken-hearted with words of comfort and cheer, healing the sick and sinning with pure compassion: the fetters of their bondage fell off immediately before the light of divine Love so clearly manifested in him.

He was compassionate to all, merciful and just, tender and kind. When a rebuke or denial of sin was necessary, he sometimes gave the lesson by parable or example, waiting always upon God for understanding and renewal of strength. To the accusers of the woman taken in adultery, he said, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." He spoke no word of censure, either to them or to the woman, but waited in loving patience for God's love to uncover and remove the error. And when they had all departed, leaving the woman alone with him, Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more." Our Leader says (Miscellaneous Writings, p. 130): "Know ye not that he who exercises the largest charity, and waits on God, renews his strength, and is exalted? Love is not puffed up; and the meek and loving, God anoints and appoints to lead the line of mankind's triumphal march out of the wilderness, out of darkness into light."

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