THE striking feature of the way in which angels see does not consist in
their seeing everything, both good and evil, in this world, in a rosy
hue, in heavenly glory so that they really do not see the evil as it
is--but in this that they see particularly what is good and seek that
by preference--let their eye dwell upon, rest thereon, with pleasure.
Therefore we can sing:
To us He also smiles
With Heaven's light in His eyes.
It is otherwise with that human being who is depraved by nature. His
eye seeks, with a certain predilection, whatever is wrong in his
fellow-beings, dwells upon it with mischievous joy. It is an innate
fault which makes it difficult for us humans to embrace one another, to
smile at one another, in the manner of angels.
Suppose that we in the new year make a serious attempt to look at each
other as the angels look--seeking what is good in our fellow-beings.
With an earnest will we can accomplish much, especially when we are
sustained by prayer.
Let us begin at home!
Perhaps it is long since you, man, have embraced your wife and
given her a real _smile_. When she was your bride--in the years of
youth--that was your greatest joy, but as the years went by you found
this fault and that with her, and then--why, then you ceased embracing
her and smiling at her. It wasn't quite as bright in your home as
before. She became more and more reticent; her rippling laughter--like
that of a child--was heard no more. Her cheerful songs were silent. She
became rather morose and querulous. A woman cannot thrive where home is
without smiles and love. You accepted the slow changes as it behooves
a man of staid dignity--life teaches so much, also compromise with
ideals, and the realization that the bright expectations of youth come
to naught.
But, now suppose that it wasn't Life, but you _yourself_ that were
to blame? Suppose the change arose from the fact that you had been
inconsiderate to your wife. Your eye had detected her faults and
shortcomings rather than her good points? Try, man, during the new
year to look at her as the angels look at us! Let your eye, diligently
and willingly, seek what is good in her, dwell upon it, be jealous of
it--give her all the appreciation she deserves for making the home
cosy and comfortable. Try it with an earnest effort and a sincere
prayer--then you will once more feel like embracing her and smiling at
her as you did when she was the bride of your youth. It might happen
that you would reap a _hundredfold_ before the year ebbs out. It will
be brighter and more snug in your house--and it will feel so good to be
at home.
Or you, wife and mother, beginning to bend down and "feel old"
although you are just beyond thirty. Perhaps you tell yourself: O,
had I only thought then that he was as he is--but I did not know. And
the children, yes--God knows, they are like him--naughty and hard to
manage. Instead of staying at home to help a little with the children
in the evening--he just simply skips out.----
Hush--wait a while!
In what way did you tell him this when you asked him last to stay at
home? Did you throw your arms around his neck--did you _smile_ at him,
saying: My dear, stay home with us tonight?
It's no use, you say--but "it's no use" is, absolutely, a term which
cannot be found in the vocabulary of Christians nor in the life of
Christians--nor in yours if you are a Christian woman. It helps very
much to do what is good while praying--perhaps not _when you_ want it,
perhaps not the way you want it. But it will surely help if during the
new year you look for just that in your husband which you loved when
you were young--if you let your eye dwell upon it, cling firmly to it
in your thoughts, carry it into your prayer--embrace him and smile at
him as in the bygone days of youth.
Where love has been sown, the harvest is as dependable as is that of
the wheat in the field--it is only in some cases that it proves a
failure. And even though yours might seem to be just such a case where
your love did not sustain him--then the love which you have sown will
sustain you and your little ones--and in the course of the year your
home will reap at least thirtyfold.
We always gain by sowing love--also in cases where we must needs
acknowledge that our love, like the seed that fell by the wayside,
bears no fruit in those upon whom it descended. But in the large
majority of homes the seeds of love will fall into fertile ground, and
bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty and some a hundred.
When only we have learned how to embrace the dear ones at home and
to smile as the angels smile, then we will also be able to smile at
others--but first at home.
And a year in which we have tried with earnest diligence to learn the
art of seeing what is good in life, to dwell upon it and to smile at
our fellow-beings--as the angels smile--is a good year, rich in the
grace and blessings from above.
* * * * *
I had just officiated at the funeral of a woman, the mother of many
children, when a man said to me, "Well, now she's got a velvet-lined
coffin, but while she lived she was hardly able to get a calico dress."
And that was not because of poverty.
What if her husband had given her a velvet dress while she was living!
Then she would have taken pleasure in it, and he would have received
her gratitude. The beautiful casket she could not enjoy--and could give
him no thanks for it.
But _you_ don't behave like that, do you?
* * * * *
On another occasion I heard the widow ask one of the pall-bearers when
we turned away from the grave: "How did you like that sermon?" The
following day I met her son-in-law and was told that she had not liked
it at all. Among other things he remarked: "She simply wanted you to
put some feathers in her crown, but there wasn't any room for them."
And I agreed with him.
* * * * *
In both instances man and wife lived together until parted by death.
But love had died--happiness vanished.
Speak to each other the kindly words--scatter flowers on each other's
way throughout the year, then Love groweth, and happiness in the home
increases in intensity. Then you can truly sing:
Home, home, sweet, sweet home,
There's no place like home--
O, there's no place like home.