“…graven with an iron pen and lead…” Job 19:24
Pastor David L. Brown, Ph.D.
God & Country
I doubt if any of the readers of this Gospel paper will recognize the name Samuel Francis Smith. Smith was a Baptist preacher and poet. He was born in 1808 and went home to be with the Lord in 1895. He graduated from Harvard, in the same class with Oliver Wendell Holmes and then continued on to complete his seminary training. He was then ordained as a Baptist minister and ultimately became the professor of modern languages at Waterville College.
In 1832, when he was a 23-year-old seminary student, Samuel was inspired after hearing the national anthems of England, Sweden and Russia. Within a half hour he wrote the famous patriotic hymn My Country ‘Tis of Thee…
“My Country ‘tis of thee, Sweet land of liberty, Of thee I sing; Land where my fathers died, Land of the Pilgrim’s pride, From every mountainside, Let freedom ring.”
The fourth verse proclaims: “Our fathers’ God, to thee, Author of liberty, To Thee we sing; Long may our land be bright, With freedom’s holy light: Protect us by Thy might, Great God, our King.”(Adapted from America’s God and Country by William J. Federer)
Three Biblical Principles To Practice In Your Marriage
David L. Brown, Ph.D.
Our text is Ephesians 4:32 “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
- Be Kind
Kind is a translation of a Greek word, which means pleasant as opposed to being harsh, sharp, or bitter. It refers to a person, who is good-natured, and willing to help others.
- Be Tenderhearted
We seldom use the word tenderhearted today. The word describes a person who is understanding and inclined to show mercy. Compassionate would be a synonym. Further, it might also help you to understand tenderhearted if I told you what the antonym is…hardhearted. To be hardhearted is to be insensitive and calloused to those in distress. It is to be merciless, cruel and severe when dealing with the distresses and difficulties of others.
Be tenderhearted, not hardhearted!
- Be Forgiving
Forgiveness is, choosing to pardon, remit, or overlook the mistake, fault, offense, hurt or injury of the offender without demanding, a penalty, punishment or retribution, and then treating the offender as not guilty.
If a marriage is to remain healthy, there must be the generous application of the balm of kindness and tenderheartedness as well as a copious dispensing of forgiveness.