Being and Doing – 3 October – Love

THERE are two kinds of love, confused together both in man’s nature and in our judgment on it – the love that desires to love, and the love that desires to be loved. The first is always a debtor to the world, the second always finds the world in debt to him, and complains bitterly that the debt is unpaid.   There is no more uncompromising creditor than the creditor for love, there is no avarice more grasping than his avarice.   Love that feeds on being loved, and not on loving, cannot conquer death; it turns traitor at the last, confessing its own baseness, that it served for the sake of the reward.   It is not love that hurts men.   The craving for love, the turning earthly and heavenly affection into merchandise, these hurt, and suffering hurts that we make our own;  but the love that brings pain is itself painless.   In the midst of longing, heart-hunger, and all the forms of selfishness that we dignify with such high-sounding names, there is one thing at peace.   That is love.   And about it the passions sweep, grudging, exacting, contending with each other for their gains;  but the prayer of love is not to receive joy, nor to escape from pain, only that it may give more, and give for ever.

MAY KENDALL

TO love that is the true revelation – the lifting up of the veil.   It is as different from simply being loved, as night is from day.

Mrs. OLIPHANT

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These quotes are from ‘Being and Doing’ A selection of helpful thoughts from various authors arranged for daily reading.

Collected by Constance M Whishaw and first published in 1908 for members of the Being and Doing Guild whose object is to do all they can for the relief of suffering and misery.

Most of the writers are 19th Century Christians from Britain and Europe who were committed to living their faith through deeds as well as words – Being AND Doing.

For many years these words have kept me company and encouraged me on the journey of faith.  I hope they will encourage others also.