The Tender Care of Jesus
by Ellen White
Is Christ using cutting words, stern criticism and unkind suspicion toward His people
who commit faults? No. He takes every infirmity into account; He acts with discernment. He
knows every one of our failings; but He uses patience; for otherwise we would have
perished long ago on account of our bad treatment of Him. The greatest insult we can
inflict upon Him, is to pretend to be His disciples while manifesting the spirit of Satan
in our words, our dispositions and our actions. It does not behove those from whom Jesus
has so much to bear, in their failings and perversity, to be ever mindful of slights and
real or imaginary offences. And yet there are those who are ever suspecting the motives of
others about them. They see offence and slights where no such thing was intended. All this
is Satan's work in the human heart. The heart filled with that love which thinketh no evil
will not be on the watch to notice discourtesies and grievances of which he may be the
object. The will of God is that His love shall close the eyes, the ears and the heart to
all such provocations and to all the suggestions with which Satan would fill them. There
is a noble majesty in the silence of the one exposed to evil-surmising or outrage. To be
master of one's spirit is to be stronger than kings or conquerors. A Christian leads one
to think of Christ. He will be affable, kind, patient, humble and yet courageous and firm
in vindicating the truth and the name of Christ (MS 24, 1887). 3BC 1160
Do not look to men nor hang your hopes upon them, feeling that they are infallible; but
look to Jesus constantly. Say nothing that would cast a reproach upon our faith. Confess
your secret sins alone before your God. Acknowledge your heart wanderings to Him who knows
perfectly how to treat your case. If you have wronged your neighbour, acknowledge to him
your sin and show fruit of the same by making restitution. Then claim the blessing. Come
to God just as you are, and let Him heal all your infirmities. Press your case to the
throne of grace; let the work be thorough. Be sincere in dealing with God and your own
soul. If you come to Him with a heart truly contrite, He will give you the victory. Then
you may bear a sweet testimony of freedom, showing forth the praises of Him who has called
you out of darkness into His marvellous light. He will not misapprehend or misjudge you.
Your fellow men cannot absolve you from sin or cleanse you from iniquity. Jesus is the
only one who can give you peace. He loved you and gave Himself for you. His great heart of
love is "touched with the feeling of our infirmities?" What sins are too great
for Him to pardon? what soul too dark and sin-oppressed for Him to save? He is gracious,
not looking for merit in us, but of His own boundless goodness healing our backslidings
and loving us freely, while we are yet sinners. He is "slow to anger, and of great
kindness;" "long-suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but
that all should come to repentance." 5T 649
He sought to inspire with hope the most rough and unpromising, setting before them the
assurance that they might become blameless and harmless, attaining such a character as
would make them manifest as the children of God. . . .
Others He met who were fighting a hand-to-hand battle with the adversary of souls.
These He encouraged to persevere, assuring them that they would win for angels of God were
on their side, and would give them the victory. Those whom He thus helped were convinced
that here was One in whom they could trust with perfect confidence. He would not betray
the secrets they poured into His sympathising ear. DA 91,92
The divine Teacher bears with the erring through all their perversity. His love does
not grow cold; His efforts to win them do not cease. With outstretched arms He waits to
welcome again and again the erring, the rebellious, and even the apostate. His heart is
touched with the helplessness of the little child subject to rough usage. The cry of human
suffering never reaches His ear in vain. Though all are precious in His sight, the rough,
sullen, stubborn dispositions draw most heavily upon His sympathy and love; for He traces
from cause to effect. The one who is most easily tempted, and is most inclined to err, is
the special object of His solicitude. ED 294
Why do you not cease from sin? You may overcome if you will co-operate with God.
Christ's promise is sure. He pledges himself to fill the office of personal Intercessor,
saying `I will pray the Father.' He who could not see human beings exposed to eternal ruin
without pouring out his soul unto death in their behalf, will look with pity and
compassion upon every one who realises that he cannot save himself....
[A.8] Oh, how weak is our faith, that we do not avail ourselves of the rich, glorious
promises of God! It is his nature to bestow his gifts upon us. All-wise and all-powerful,
he will give liberally to all who ask in faith. RH OCT.30,1900
As a faithful physician, the world's Redeemer has his finger upon the pulse of the
soul. He marks every beat; he takes note of every throb. Not an emotion thrills it; not a
sorrow shades it; not a sin stains it; not a thought or purpose passes through it, with
which he is not acquainted. Man was purchased at an infinite cost, and is loved with a
devotion exceeding that which a father feels for his child. The prayer that comes from a
sincere heart will ever find a response in heaven. ST DEC.03,1896