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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadQuiet Talks by Samuel Dickey: Gordon, Samuel Dickey - Quiet Talks on Home Ideals: 34. The Heart Mood.
TOPIC: Gordon, Samuel Dickey - Quiet Talks on Home Ideals (Other Topics in this Collection)
SUBJECT: 34. The Heart Mood.
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The Heart Mood.
Have you noticed how much of the meaning of a spoken word depends upon the tone of the voice that speaks it? And upon the expression of the face as it is spoken? and especially upon the light in the eye? and upon the expression on the face of the spirit looking at you out of. the eye?
You read the word "love" on a printed page, and it carries a certain meaning to your mind, depending entirely on what your personal contacts with others have made it mean. But one day you are talking with some one, whose life seems deeper and fuller of meaning to you, than you have been able to grasp or fathom so far. And in the conversation he repeats that word "love" in one of his remarks. And you are caught at once with how he says it. There is a hallowed touch of awe in his tone, as though he felt a something in the word that stilled and thralled his spirit. There is a caressing lingering of the lip over the word, as though reluctant to part with it.
You look into his face and there's a light there, a sort of subdued radiance, as if something within, a bit of the thing he is talking about, you think perhaps, is shining out through his face upon you. There is a new subtly subdued firelight in his eye. Yet you can only see it partly, for his eyelids, those window-shades of the soul, are partly dropped or drooped, as though the wondrous vision within of what that spoken word means, and the glow within that its presence gives, must be shielded from the unreverent gaze of the thoughtless not-understanding world.
And yet the word is spoken, and the eyes let out something of the glow-light, and the face unconsciously reflects its presence. Simply because such a thing as love can't be kept in, nor concealed. He speaks the word cautiously, because of the world's dull ears to its meaning. And yet he speaks it gladly and eagerly to you, his friend or acquaintance, that you may know something of what he knows.
Have you ever talked with any one like that? And did not the words so spoken have a newness and wealth of meaning that neither dictionary nor life had ever brought to you?
Do you know, that must have been the way Jesus talked. Is it any wonder men hung on his words. His whole face, His whole heart and being were telling new uncommon meanings, while his lips spoke the words in common use. And have you noticed that that is something of the way those persons talk who have been off alone with Jesus a good bit? They never can get from under the spell of His presence, and of the new meanings He gives to words. Though all the time they are unconscious of how far that spell upon themselves is affecting their touch upon others.
It must have been an experience like that that rugged old Elijah had. He had been dealing with thunder-storms, and blasphemous idolators, and an iniquitous king until his eyes flashed lightning, and his earnest loyalty to Jehovah made his voice into high-keyed, shrill, startling thunder peals and tones. And unconsciously he was thinking of the God he was championing so valiantly as something like that, too.
The message of the desert cave, forty days later, wasn't a message of words so much, if at all, but a message of a presence. It is not said that the "still small voice" spoke words. Just an exquisite sound of gentle stillness came, but it told him more of the meaning of "God," and of the great tender heart of love that that word "God" stands for, than he had ever known before.
There are certain words and certain things, that should always be spoken of in just that way, and never in any other. You know how there are certain rare experiences of your life that you simply cannot tell, except to the very few, maybe to only one or two of whose sympathy and understanding you feel sure. And you can't tell them even to these friends at just any time.
There must be the time when their mood is peculiarly sympathetic. There must be a quiet corner, and you yourself in that peculiar heart-mood that allows speech of such things to come, and when the voice and eye and very presence come under the spell of that mood.