October 20, 1892

Words to the Young

EGW

“Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor.”YI October 20, 1892, par. 1

You are to follow God as dear children, to be obedient to all his requirements, walking in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor. Love was the element in which Christ moved and walked and worked. He came to embrace the world in the arms of his love. And Jesus says, “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings.” “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”YI October 20, 1892, par. 2

We are to follow the example set by Christ, and make him our pattern, until we shall have the same love for others as he has manifested for us. He seeks to impress us with this profound lesson of love. Will the Instructor family most earnestly seek to practice the words of Christ? If your hearts have been given to selfishness, let Christ imbue you with his love. He desires that we shall love him fully, and encourages, yes, even commands, that we shall love others as he has given us an example. He has made love the badge of our discipleship. He says, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” This is the measurement to which you are to reach,—“Love one another; as I have loved you.” What height, what depth and breadth, of love! This love is not simply to embrace a few favorites, it is to reach to the lowliest and humblest of God's creatures. Jesus says, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”YI October 20, 1892, par. 3

The Majesty of heaven identifies his interests with that of suffering humanity. Our associates and companions are in need of heart-felt kindness and tender sympathy. But the love and sympathy which Jesus would have us give to others does not savor of sentimentalism, which is a snare to the soul; it is a love that is of heavenly extraction, which Jesus exemplifies by both precept and example. But instead of manifesting this love, how often we are alienated and estranged one from another. Through yielding to temptation, strife, evil thinking, evil surmising, and evil speaking, censoriousness and criticism are manifested toward others. If they do not happen to meet our ideas, we fail to manifest friendliness toward them. But what is the result of estrangement from our brethren?—The result is estrangement from God, a dwarfed experience, a blighting of Christian growth.YI October 20, 1892, par. 4

It is impossible to grow up into Christ our living head, unless we practice the lesson he has given us of sympathy, compassion, and love. It is impossible to reflect the image of Christ unless this love which is of heavenly birth, is in the soul. No one will pass the portals of the city of God who does not reflect this attribute. The love of Jesus is an active principle, uniting heart with heart in bonds of Christian fellowship. Every one who enters heaven will on earth have been perfected in love; for in heaven the Redeemer and the redeemed will be objects of our interest.YI October 20, 1892, par. 5

Those who have experienced the love of Christ cannot be idlers in the Master's vineyard. They will see opportunities for helping others in their steps to Christ. Partaking of Christ's love, they will labor for the souls of others. Let every soul copy the Pattern, and become missionaries in the highest sense, winning souls to Jesus.YI October 20, 1892, par. 6

Mrs. E. G. White