(1.) _It is glorious to have a lion's strength, but it is inglorious to
use it like a lion_. When this is not attended to, heroism degenerates
into big-boned animalism, and courage into selfishness and ferocity.
What might have been the glory of our expanding manhood and a tower of
defence to the weak and defenceless becomes the Titanian arrogance of
the bully and the senseless boast of the braggart. This is to imitate
the lion in a bad sense, and "I'd rather be a dog and bay the moon than
such a Roman." This is to walk in the footsteps of those Assyrian
monarchs who took the lion as their favourite emblem, and counted it
their greatest glory to lash the nations in their fury. But all this is
selling oneself to do wickedness in the sight of the Lord, and becoming
willing captives to him who walketh about as a roaring lion seeking whom
he may devour.
(2.) _It is glorious to have a lion's strength, if the strength be the
measure of our gentleness_. It is in this sense that Jesus is the Lion
of the tribe of Judah. He conquers by stooping. His other name is the
Lamb.
You remember how beautifully this is illustrated in AEsop's Fables. A
lion asleep in the wood one day was awakened by a little field-mouse,
and quick as lightning he laid his terrible paw on the tiny intruder,
and forthwith would have sentenced it to death. But the trembling
captive implored him to show mercy, and the great beast was softened,
and allowed it to escape. And that gentleness was twice blessed--it
blessed him that received and him that gave. A few days after this the
same lion was caught in a strong net which the hunters had set for him,
and struggle as he might, he could not set himself free. But the little
field-mouse heard his terrible voice, and came to the rescue.
Patiently, thread by thread, it gnawed through the stout rope, and the
monarch of the forest was free. And no doubt, as he stood and shook his
bushy mane before plunging into the depths of the forest, he thought
within himself, saying, "My former gentleness hath made me great."
Yes, "he that is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he that
ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city." Even a lion may be
tamed. Even a lion may become a lamb; and it is glorious to have a
lion's strength when it is tempered and tamed into gentleness.
*The Cock-crowing.*
"And one shall rise up at the voice of the bird."--Eccles. xii. 4.
Youth and age are strangely blended in this chapter. With a pathetic
reference to old age, the young heart is called upon to remember its
Creator in the days of its youth. The days of youth are the choice--the
choosing days. They are full of temptation, but they are also blessed
with many great advantages; and no better season could be mentioned for
resisting the one and improving the other than the moulding season of
what the paraphrase calls "life's gay morn." Old age, like a sick-bed,
has enough to do with itself. There are many discomforts that beset the
path of the aged. For one thing, they cannot sleep so soundly as young
people do. "_They rise up at the voice of the bird_." The first twitter
of the swallow under the eaves, or the first crowing of the cock, is
quite sufficient to break their night's repose, for their light and
fitful slumbers are very easily disturbed. And old age is soon followed
by death. The silver cord is loosed, and the golden bowl is broken; the
pitcher is broken at the fountain, and the wheel broken at the cistern.
And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns unto
God who gave it. How foolish then to neglect religion until a time of
decay like that! It is worse than foolish: it is suicidal. The whole
life ought to be given to God, and not the mere dregs of the cup.
"Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come
not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in
them."
"Deep on thy soul, before its powers
Are yet by vice enslaved,
Be thy Creator's glorious name
And character engraved."