IN the midst of human misunderstandings, and mistreatment by those from whom we feel ourselves entitled to receive kindness, thought turns to God as Love as naturally and as confidently as a child turns to its mother's arms in times of danger, certain of finding an understanding love.
Jesus, in his healing ministry, constantly showed forth the love that understands and the understanding that loves, not humanly but divinely. His was never a cold, intellectual understanding of the letter, nor was it partial and unwise human affection. When he was told that the centurion's servant was at home "grievously tormented," Jesus' response was spontaneous and loving: "I will come and heal him." His parable of the son who wandered from his father's house and brought discredit on himself is a pattern of Christlike compassion and understanding love. The son, upon his return, would have abased himself, but the father, evidently discerning sincere repentance, met him "a great way off." The robe, the ring, and the shoes which he ordered for the returned wanderer were symbolic of divine Love's tender care and gracious forgiveness. It is the unrepentant wrongdoer who finds the transgressor's way to be hard. Let him once recognize his error and express contrition, as did the prodigal, and he will find Love already present to meet him.
Understanding is not a rare gift vouchsafed to some and not to others. It is God-given, therefore universal; it is inherent in everyone. In Luke's record of Jesus' last instructions to his disciples we read, "Then opened he their understanding." That which may be aroused or opened is already present. It must be remembered that to spiritual sense understanding is never dormant, but that it only seems to be so to the material senses. From the human angle, there appear to be differences in the degree of dormancy in the individual consciousness. When we see a man asleep, we realize that when he is awakened he will immediately begin to do the things he is capable of doing. Our part is to rouse him. We do not have to make him speak or walk, for he possesses the ability to do so and will use it as soon as he is awake.
