"Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon
you."
The other day I heard a man of God say: "We cannot bridle the
tongues of the people among whom we live: they will talk"; and by
talk he meant gossip and criticism and fault-finding.
"You never can tell when you send a word--
Like an arrow shot from a bow
By an archer blind--be it cruel or kind,
Just where it will chance to go.
It may pierce the breast of your dearest friend,
Tipped with its poison or balm:
To a stranger's heart in life's great mart
It may carry its pain or its calm."
The wise mother, when she finds her little boy playing with a
sharp knife, or the looking-glass, or some dainty dish, does not
snatch it away with a slap on his cheek or harsh words, but
quietly and gently substitutes a safer and more interesting toy,
and so avoids a storm.
A sensible father who finds his boy reading a book of dangerous
tendency, will kindly point out its character and substitute a
better book that is equally interesting.
When children want to spend their evenings on the street,
thoughtful and intelligent parents will seek to make their
evenings at home more healthfully attractive.
When a man seeks to rid his mind of evil and hurtful thoughts, he
will find it wise to follow Paul's exhortation to the Philippians:
"Brethren, whatsoever things are true,... honest,... just,...
pure,... lovely,... of good report;... if there be any praise,
think on these things" (Phil. iv. 8).
Any man who faithfully, patiently, and persistently accepts this
programme of Paul's will find his evil thoughts vanishing away.
And this is the Holy Spirit's method: He has a pleasant and safe
substitute for gossip and fault-finding and slander.
Here it is: "Be filled with the Spirit: speaking to yourselves in
psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody
in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things
unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"
(Eph. v. 18-20). This is certainly a fruit of being filled with
the Spirit.
Many years ago the Lord gave me a blessed revival in a little
village in which nearly every soul in the place, as well as
farmers from the surrounding country, were converted. One result
was that they now had no time for gossip and doubtful talk about
their neighbours. They were all talking about religion and
rejoicing in the things of the Lord. If they met each other on
the street, or in some shop or store, they praised the Lord, and
encouraged each other to press on in the heavenly way. If they
met a sinner, they tenderly besought him to be reconciled to God,
to give up his sins, "flee from the wrath to come," and start at
once for Heaven. If they met in each other's houses, they
gathered around the organ or the piano and sang hymns and songs,
and did not part till they had united in prayer.
There was no criticising of their neighbours, no grumbling and
complaining about the weather, no fault-finding with their lot in
life, or their daily surroundings and circumstances. Their
conversation was joyous, cheerful, and helpful to one another.
Nor was it forced and out of place, but rather it was the
natural, spontaneous outflow of loving, humble, glad hearts
filled with the Spirit, in union with Jesus, and in love and
sympathy with their fellow-men.
And this is, I think, our Heavenly Father's ideal of social and
spiritual intercourse for His children on earth. He would not
have us separate ourselves from each other and shut ourselves up
in convents and monasteries in austere asceticism on the one
hand, nor would He have us light and foolish, or fault-finding
and censorious on the other hand, but sociable, cheerful, and
full of tender, considerate love.
On the day of Pentecost, when they were all filled with the Holy
Ghost and a multitude were converted, we read that "they,
continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking
bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and
singleness of heart, praising God, and having favour with all the
people" (Acts ii. 46, 47). This is a sample of the brotherly love
and unity which our Heavenly Father would have throughout the
whole earth; but how the breath of gossip and evil-speaking would
have marred this heavenly fellowship and separated these "chief
friends"!
"Lord! subdue our selfish will;
Each to each our tempers suit
By Thy modulating skill,
Heart to heart, as lute to lute."
Let no one suppose, however, that the Holy Spirit accomplishes
this heavenly work by some overwhelming baptism which does away
with the need of our co-operation. He does not override us, but
works with us; and we must intelligently and determinedly work
with Him in this matter.
People often fall into idle and hurtful gossip and evil-speaking,
not so much from ill-will, as from old habit, as a wagon falls
into a rut. Or they drift into it with the current of conversation
about them. Or they are beguiled into it by a desire to say
something, and be pleasant and entertaining.
But when the Holy Spirit comes, He lifts us out of the old ruts,
and we must follow Him with care lest we fall into them again,
possibly never more to escape. He gives us life and power to stem
the adverse currents about us, but we must exercise ourselves not
to be swept downward by them. He does not destroy the desire to
please, but He subordinates it to the desire to help and bless,
and we must stir ourselves up to do this.
When Miss Havergal was asked to sing and play before a worldly
company, she sang a sweet song about Jesus, and, without
displeasing anybody, greatly blessed the company.
At a breakfast party John Fletcher told his experience so sweetly
and naturally that all hearts were stirred, the Holy Ghost fell
upon the company, and they ended with a glorious prayer meeting.
William Bramwell used at meals to steadily and persistently turn
the conversation into spiritual channels to the blessing of all
who were present, so that they had two meals--one for the body
and one for the soul.
To do this wisely and helpfully requires thought and prayer and a
fixed purpose, and a tender, loving heart filled with the Holy
Spirit.
I know a mother who seeks to have a brief season of prayer and a
text of Scripture just before going to dinner to prepare her
heart to guide the conversation along spiritual highways.
Are you careful and have you victory in this matter, my comrade?
If not, seek it just now in simple, trustful prayer, and the Lord
who loves you will surely answer, and will be your helper from
this time forth. He surely will. Believe just now, and henceforth
"let your conversation be as becometh the gospel of Christ."
"I ask Thee, ever blessed Lord,
That I may never speak a word,
Of envy born, or passion stirred.
"First, true to Thee in heart and mind,
Then always to my neighbour kind,
By Thy good hand to good inclined.
"Oh, save from words that bear a sting,
That pain to any brother bring:
Inbreathe Thy calm in everything.
"Let love within my heart prevail,
To rule my words when thoughts assail,
That, hid in Thee, I may not fail.
"I know, my Lord, Thy power within
Can save from all the power of sin;
In Thee let every word begin.
"Should I be silent? Keep me still,
Glad waiting on my Master's will:
Thy message through my lips fulfil.
"Give me Thy words when I should speak,
For words of Thine are never weak,
But break the proud, but raise the meek.
"Into Thy lips all grace is poured,
Speak Thou through me, Eternal Word,
Of thought, of heart, of lips the Lord."
"HAVE YE RECEIVED THE HOLY GHOST SINCE YE BELIEVED?"