He could not be hid-- Mark 7:24
The fame of Christ had gone out too widely over the whole country for Him to travel anywhere without being recognised. No doubt there was something in His appearance and bearing that distinguished Him from other men and soon revealed Him. There must have been a rare sweetness in His face, the outpouring of the great love of His heart. There was no halo upon His features, as artists represent Him in their pictures; yet there must have been a glow of grace that revealed Him to sad and hungry hearts.
But really Christ can never be hid. He can be in no place in this world very long and His presence not be recognised. You may hide sweet flowers so that they cannot be seen, but soon the fragrance will disclose their hiding-place. So the sweetness of the Saviour's life and love will always tell when He is near. When He enters a human heart, He cannot be hidden; for soon His Spirit begins to breathe out in all the words, actions, and life of the new follower. When He enters a home, He cannot longer be hidden, for the home is changed--worldness, bitterness, and sin giving place to prayer and praise, to the spirit of love and gentleness, and to purity and holiness. When He enters a community He cannot remain concealed. The stories of missionary work illustrate this. Cannibal islands are changed into God-fearing, man-loving settlements. Christ will always reveal His presence in this world.
The same is true of all faithful disciples. A Christian cannot be hid. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. (Matthew 5:14) If the love of Christ is in his heart, people around him will very soon know it. They will see it in his bearing, in his disposition, in the way he honours God, in the way he treats his fellow-men. When a man can hide his religion, he has not much of it to hide. True religion breathes out in fragrance, shines out in light.
The fame of Christ had gone out too widely over the whole country for Him to travel anywhere without being recognised. No doubt there was something in His appearance and bearing that distinguished Him from other men and soon revealed Him. There must have been a rare sweetness in His face, the outpouring of the great love of His heart. There was no halo upon His features, as artists represent Him in their pictures; yet there must have been a glow of grace that revealed Him to sad and hungry hearts.
But really Christ can never be hid. He can be in no place in this world very long and His presence not be recognised. You may hide sweet flowers so that they cannot be seen, but soon the fragrance will disclose their hiding-place. So the sweetness of the Saviour's life and love will always tell when He is near. When He enters a human heart, He cannot be hidden; for soon His Spirit begins to breathe out in all the words, actions, and life of the new follower. When He enters a home, He cannot longer be hidden, for the home is changed--worldness, bitterness, and sin giving place to prayer and praise, to the spirit of love and gentleness, and to purity and holiness. When He enters a community He cannot remain concealed. The stories of missionary work illustrate this. Cannibal islands are changed into God-fearing, man-loving settlements. Christ will always reveal His presence in this world.
The same is true of all faithful disciples. A Christian cannot be hid. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. (Matthew 5:14) If the love of Christ is in his heart, people around him will very soon know it. They will see it in his bearing, in his disposition, in the way he honours God, in the way he treats his fellow-men. When a man can hide his religion, he has not much of it to hide. True religion breathes out in fragrance, shines out in light.
