There exists an art which every saint must master: 'The ability to speak in season.' We are passing through a war zone, wherein lie people with wounds and devoured by hunger and raped by the enemy of their souls.
The sight is bloody and begs for those with training in burden-bearing and mending of broken bones. None of the secular universities can bequeath this expertise on any nor is any born with it.
Whoever wants or lacks this prowess, is not fit to live. Such is looked upon as useless. Connection with great names says 'It is not found with me!' Titles and positions denied knowing anything about this talk less of decorating any with it.
It is not in the heavens, nor under the earth. Theological training only speaks of it, but cannot give it o any; it is but a pointer and a schoolmaster thereto. Scripture speaks about where it can be secured from, but does not give it. Like the food for those four lepers at the gate of Samaria, this art is in the enemy's camp, as they discovered their sustenance in the Assyrians' camp.(see ll Kings 7 )Our enemy has it in form of trial and temptation.
This a-must-have art, is acquired and secured by temptations and trials: the devil's ferula and attacks leave behinds a large measure of this art. The more tempted and tried, the better. This is one of the undoing of the devil.
A load that a man never lifted up, cannot move him to pity when he sees his fellow carrying the same. The antidote for a snake bite is in the venoms. The skin of a scorpion is used as a cure to its victims. The devil's policies always turned against him.
He put Jesus on the cross, the same cross crossed him eternally. Goliath's sword would behead him eventually. Whatever the devil trows on a saint, ends in training him to speak better and infuses him with fine heart disposition to help his fellows in the time of their trials.
God comforts us that we might be able to comfort others. 'Able to comfort...' This is the crux of our meditation here. Oh what an impotence to lack this as a saint...a man on mission!
A man that has not this, is like a nursing mother that has no breast. A useless doctor and a dumb professor. 'We have a sister that has no breast...' She cannot be married out. We cannot boast of her to any intending suitor. Beautiful, but 'breastless.'
So is every believer that has not this art. Such is blind and cannot see farther than himself and his own comfort; the most pitiably state in life. Brothers and sisters, in all your getting, get the ability to comfort', the art of all art! See therefore all your pains, temptations, darkness and impasse as a training and breeding ground for this art. Believe me, it cannot be secured otherwise.
Suspect your usefulness if you are without trial and temptation. Train me oh Lord! Amen!