It is written of the Lord Jesus Christ that he did all things well”. The saying is discriminating; the emphasis is on “all things” and “well”, which affords ample scope for reflection. In this, as in all else, he is the divine pattern of conduct and performance. His popularity and influence for good is borne out by the fact that “the common people heard him gladly” and were comforted for their spiritual good by his sympathy with their needs and sufferings, and by his patience in their unbelief, for he treated them as “sheep not having a shepherd”. With them he enjoyed a good reputation, and not even arrogant Sadducees, nor self-sufficient Pharisees, nor legalistic Scribes could fault his bearing and conduct: “No man ever spake as this man.” Shall we dare to override his great example?
The proverb has it that “A good name . . . and loving favour” are better than material prosperity. An elder must have “a good report of them that are without”.
Jesus commissioned his disciples to go out into all the world and preach the gospel. And for this purpose he curbed their personal ambitions and disciplined their natural impatience towards opposition. He instructed them, on the contrary, how to avoid arousing opposition by their enthusiasm, for the reason that “those who are not against me are for me”, and that any person preaching and healing in his name could scarcely speak evil of him. The bruised reed he did not break and the smoking flax he did not quench. His manner was gentle and inoffensive except with those who opposed the gospel with traditional teachings.
The disciples caught his spirit. The erstwhile ruthless persecutor, Saul, once he was converted, made himself “all things to all men” in the hope that he might win a few to Christ; “I beseech you”, he said, “by the meekness and gentleness of Christ”; and, “Be ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ”.
This pattern of conduct could be amplified manifold to show what manner of man the Lord was in his day, and how he prepared the minds of his disciples for the conquest of the pagan world by love and good for Christ works. Roman governors were to remark of them, “See how these Christians love one another”. The good name they acquired by their earnest imitation of Christ lives after them, down to this day.
Their example must not lightly be esteemed. It is indispensable to the fruitful pursuit of our stewardship. Witness for Christ must follow this pattern.
There are numerous ways in which one can acquire a good name within his circle of acquaintances. It can be for zeal in a selected cause, for good works and charity, for orderly living and social responsibility, for native talent and business acumen energetically used. But it is rarely in this life that the good name is unspoilt by inconsistent behaviour. It can be said on occasions that zeal is marred by arrogance, that native ability is overweening, that business acumen is shadowed by sharp dealing, that the aspect of charity on one side of the face is offset by avaricious oppression on the other, and so on. The failings are too numerous to mention. But this can be said, that the nearer one lives to the pattern of Christ the less do the distracting characteristics appear.
The qualities of love, mercy, gentleness, long suffering, honesty and sincerity so amply presented in scripture are an essential element in the witness.
What can be said of individuals in this regard can also be more truly said of communities of people. There is less of loveliness about a community than there is about the individuals who comprise it, for all of them have some loveliness of character to mask their faults. But communities have too varied an assortment of faults to display a communal loveliness. Yet by wise leadership even communities can build for themselves a good name.
Communities preaching Christ are driven by zeal for the Cause, and community zeal is less restrained than personal zeal in those forms of conduct that adversely affect “the good name”. The leader of his brethren in zealous performance sometimes unwittingly oversteps the prudent bounds of good conduct and common courtesy when ardently trying to correct the misbeliefs and unbeliefs that contradict the Truth. In a way, he forgets that the state of the unbeliever is to be pitied rather than condemned—that Christ came to save sinners —indeed that he himself has been saved out of darkness by an act of grace for which he can take to himself no credit. As a consequence he is to let his light shine that men might see his good works and know that he has been with Jesus and has learned of him.
The true preacher and teacher “keeps himself under” and does not allow himself to offend or deter those who are in need of enlightenment and salvation. And why? Because he has learned from his Master that such is contrary to “the Way”. He must not strive; “but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing them that oppose themselves. He has learned that “a brother offended is harder to be won than a fenced city”.
It is a common experience, so frequently deplored, that misdirected zeal succeeds in provoking among our limited public more of scorn and antagonism than of interest and goodwill, and the beloved truth is loaded with execration. The good name thus damaged is repaired only with costly labours. It is true, as the Lord remarked, that the servant is not above his master and that preachers of truth must expect to be hated. Yet these times have moderated the hatred, and they bear rather against restraint and internal discipline. But it must be seen that this constitutes the prime reason why the influence of Christ must be brought to bear more effectively upon all our activities, personal as well as communal.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One