| The Beauty of Self Control |
Chapter 1 |
Page 5 |
In his words, also, Christ teaches us this lesson of self control. Meekness is one of the Beatitudes. It is the ripe fruit of restraint under insult and wrong. “Accustom yourself to injustice” was the counsel of an English preacher. It is not easy to accept such teaching. We do not like to be treated unjustly. We can learn to endure a good many other things and still keep patient and sweet. But to endure injustice seems to be beyond the “seventy times seven” included in our Lord’s measurement of forgiving. Yet it is not beyond the limit of the law of love. Certainly the Master in his own life accustomed himself to injustice. He was silent even to this phase of wrong, and he leaves the lesson of his example to us.
The beauty of self control! It is always beautiful, and the lack of it is always a blemish. A lovely face which has won us by its grace instantly loses its charm and winsomeness when in some excitement bad temper breaks out. An angry countenance is disfiguring. It hides the angel and reveals the demon. Self control gives calmness and poise. It should be practiced not only on great occasions, but on the smallest. A hundred times a day it will save us from weakness and fluster and make us strong a quiet. It is the outcome of peace. If the heart be still and quiet with the peace of Christ, the whole life is under heavenly guard. The king is on his throne and there is no misrule anywhere.
How can we get this self control which means so much to our lives? It is essential if we would live beautifully. We are weak without it.
“Unless above himself he can
Erect himself, how poor a thing is man!”
Page 5