The Peculiarity of Christian Love
’Love envieth not.” — i Cor. xiii. 4.
Christian love is the only kind of love in which there is no rivalry, no jealousy. There is jealousy among the lovers of art; there is jealousy among the lovers of song; there is jealousy among the lovers of beauty. The glory of natural love is its monopoly, its power to say, “It is mine.” But the glory of Christian love is its refusal of monopoly. The spiritual artist — the man who paints Christ in his soul — wants no solitary niche in the temple of fame. He would not like to hear any one say, “He is the first of his profession; there is not one that can hold the candle to him.” He would be very sad to be distinguished in his profession of Christ, marked out as a solitary figure. The gladdest moment to him will always be the moment when the cry is heard, “Thy brother is coming up the ladder also; thy brother will share the inheritance with thee.”
O Thou who art the dear love of my heart, I
would not have Thee love me alone. I would not desire to monopolise Thy heart. I would not claim Thee as my solitary possession. I would have Thee to love me always, to love me everywhere, to love me perfectly — but not to love me only. It is not merely that I am not jealous of my brother; I am very jealous for Thee. If I alone possessed Thee it would narrow Thee, limit Thee, circumscribe Thee. My Christ, I would not have Thee narrowed — not for all the pride of being the centre of Thy universe. I would not have Thee lowered to gratify my pride. If I am better than other men, I dare not, with the publican, thank Thee for that. Rather would I pray against my own distinctiveness. I would beat upon my breast and say: “Break the solitude, O Lord! Deprive me of this monopoly of goodness! Destroy my pre-eminence in Thy sight! Remove my isolated splendour on the mountain-top with Thee! Bring up the crowd at the foot of the hill to share my glory — to love and be loved like me! Let us sing one song; let us wear one wreath; let us tell one tale; let us feel one joy; let us fill one house; let us tread one court; let us speak one tongue; let us offer one heart of praise! Feed Thy sheep, lest I love Thee more than they!”