Is this thy kindness to thy friend?

 EVENING DEVOTIONS by James Smith

JANUARY 25

 

2 Samuel 16:17

And Absalom said to Hushai, 

Is this thy kindness to thy friend? 

why wentest thou not with thy friend?

 
The conduct of Jesus towards us, is the perfection of kindness; but our conduct toward him is often just the reverse.
 
How often we treat him with neglect, and instead of prayer being a delightful privilege, it is an irksome task.
 
How often we violate his positive precepts, or omit to perform known and acknowledged duties.
 
How often we doubt his love, distrust his word, and complain of his dealings.
 
How often we encourage the flesh, which he has directed us to mortify; prefer the world, which he has commanded us to forsake; and yield to Satan, whom he has exhorted us to resist.
 
And have we not sometimes been afraid or shamed to confess him before the world; or at least to bear a plain, honest, decided testimony for him?
 
Well may our cheeks burn with shame, and our bosoms fill with confusion, if the question be put to us, in reference to much of our conduct toward our kind and gracious Redeemer.
 
Let us seek afresh the tokens of his forgiving love, and in future when about to yield to temptation, or give way to any sin, put the question to our consciences, “Is this thy kindness to thy friend?”
 
 

Sure, were I not most vile and abase,

I could not thus my friend requite!

And were not he the God of grace,

He’d frown and spurn me from his sight.

 
 
James Smith