Spurgeon: September PM
* 09/11/PM
"Lead me, O Lord, in Thy righteousness because of mine enemies."
--Psalms 5:8
Very bitter is the enmity of the world against the people of
Christ. Men will forgive a thousand faults in others, but they
will magnify the most trivial offence in the followers of Jesus.
Instead of vainly regretting this, let us turn it to account,
and since so many are watching for our halting, let this be a
special motive for walking very carefully before God. If we live
carelessly, the lynx-eyed world will soon see it, and with its
hundred tongues, it will spread the story, exaggerated and
emblazoned by the zeal of slander. They will shout triumphantly.
"Aha! So would we have it! See how these Christians act! They
are hypocrites to a man." Thus will much damage be done to the
cause of Christ, and much insult offered to His name. The cross
of Christ is in itself an offence to the world; let us take heed
that we add no offence of our own. It is "to the Jews a
stumblingblock": let us mind that we put no stumblingblocks
where there are enough already. "To the Greeks it is
foolishness": let us not add our folly to give point to the
scorn with which the worldly-wise deride the gospel. How jealous
should we be of ourselves! How rigid with our consciences! In
the presence of adversaries who will misrepresent our best
deeds, and impugn our motives where they cannot censure our
actions, how circumspect should we be! Pilgrims travel as
suspected persons through Vanity Fair. Not only are we under
surveillance, but there are more spies than we reck of. The
espionage is everywhere, at home and abroad. If we fall into the
enemies' hands we may sooner expect generosity from a wolf, or
mercy from a fiend, than anything like patience with our
infirmities from men who spice their infidelity towards God with
scandals against His people. O Lord, lead us ever, lest our
enemies trip us up!