____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER ____________________________________________________ "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ April 20, 2003 ____________________________________________________ Thoughts Drawn from "The Scarlet Letter" (Part 1 of 2) by Tom Edwards Would it have been that quiet, lady-like demeanor that strangers would first notice in Hester Prynne? Or would it, rather, be that scarlet letter, embroidered with gold thread and illuminated upon the breast of her gown, that would catch their eye? Though a letter exquisitely fashioned by her needlework skill, and one which she was to always wear publicly, yet a letter that stood for her immoral shame. This fictitious story by Nathaniel Hawthorne, with its setting in Massachusetts during the Puritan era, portrays a woman who because of her fall, initially becomes an outcast to her society. It was as if the whole world had turned against her -- with the exception of her young daughter Pearl, who was conceived from that adulterous relationship, but who had become "her mother's only treasure," her pearl "of great price" (p. 89), and her only companion. How it happened, the details are not given, other than the clues that soon unfold as to the one with whom she sinned. Why it happened, is also not explained; but, surely, the thought of her husband's two-year absence being due to his probably having drowned while at sea, intertwined as a major factor. Hester's Character With the exception of the immoral sin of Hester Prynne (and her seemingly lack of knowledge concerning divorce and remarriage, as inferred later in the story), she appears to be a woman of noble quality -- kind and generous -- and certainly one with patient endurance. She had been "the daughter of a pious home" (p. 114), a woman who would rather have died than to have her daughter taken away (p. 115), and a woman who faced the shame cast upon her by doing good in return. The world made her feel unaccepted -- by their "gesture," by their "every word," and even by their "silence" -- and so much so, that it would seem possible for her to have felt no more banishment, had she lived as the only inhabitant on a faraway island. And at least, there, she would not have to deal with the continual anguish inflicted upon her by her unforgiving peers, who had made her a continual object of scorn, as she quietly walked passed them in her humility. But in spite of all the deliberate disrespect and insult given her, she still sought to help the poor -- even though they, too, repaid her with their contemptuous and abusive language. However, when insulted by others, Hester Prynne -- rather than retaliating -- would pray for them, "lest, in spite of her forgiving aspirations, the words of the blessing should stubbornly twist themselves into a curse" (p. 85). How to Treat Those Who Treat Us Wrongly Jesus exhorts His followers to "love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you" (Matt. 5:44). Elsewhere He states, "bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you" (Luke 6:28). It is hard to hate those whom we sincerely take the time to pray for. Rather, we learn to love and to care, to be willing to forgive even those who have done the most wrong toward us. Would this not be why Hester prayed for those who treated her so cruelly? For love is better than hate, and a forgiving spirit is also better than one that holds bitterness or a grudge. As Christians, we are never to retaliate, such as in casting insult on those who insult us (1 Pet. 3:9). So let us pray, instead, for those who do us wrong; and bless those who would curse us -- and, thus, strive to be like Jesus, rather than the way of the world. A Time for Forgiveness and Acceptance Though we would acknowledge that the sinner is to be dealt with, rebuked and chastened if need be, there also comes a time to forgive and show that forgiveness -- and that is when the transgressor repents. As Paul writes to the Corinthians, concerning the one who had formerly been guilty of incest and was to be withdrawn from (1 Cor. 5), he now urges the brethren to show their mercy and acceptance to that one who had repented: "Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, so that on the contrary, you should rather forgive and comfort him, lest somehow such a one be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him" (2 Cor. 2:6-8). Can you imagine the sorrow that would have continued had the brethren not done for this penitent Christian what Paul instructed? It would have been similar to what Hester endured for years, while she continued working out her penance -- a suffering that she eventually became so inured with that her very countenance had transformed from its former beauty to a "marble quietude...like a mask; or, rather, like the frozen calmness of a dead woman's features; owing this dreary resemblance to the fact that Hester was actually dead, in respect to any claim of sympathy, and had departed out of the world, with which she still seemed to mingle" (p. 238). The Power of Love and Forgiveness On the other hand, love and forgiveness kindly shown can be like the life to a flower that causes it to spread its tiny petals in full-bloom and in all its splendor. When love and forgiveness brings light and warmth to the dark dankness of one's soul, even unpleasant external conditions can be viewed from a different perspective -- like the one who, after many years, finally experienced the restorative quality of freedom from his anguish and was able to say in even the dreary woods where that happened, that "No golden light had ever been so precious as the gloom of this dark forest" (p. 206). The Importance of Good Character Over Reputation Through years of her endurance and continual kindness, the radiance of Hester' good deeds eventually dispelled the dark thoughts that many others had toward her; to the degree that now, when they viewed that letter "A," its meaning had become transformed in their minds by her admirable conduct: The "A" now stood for "Able." For she was truly a woman who was able to show compassion to the less fortunate -- and unfailing when it came to showing this human tenderness toward their needs. She was "kind to the poor, helpful to the sick," and brought comfort "to the afflicted" (p. 169). Whereas one's reputation can "speak" deceitfully, our character will always "speak" truthfully. So if men say or think derogatory things about us, let us each simply show by our lives who we really are. Peter exhorts the Christians to "Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts" and to "keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame" (1 Pet. 3:15,16). And remember this, too: It is better to be the one slandered, than the one who is doing the slandering! For one thing, your being slandered won't keep you out of heaven (if you are a faithful Christian); but, according to the Scriptures, no slanderer (since he is the same as a liar) will ever enter there! (Rev. 21:8) Plus, there is also the hope that in setting forth the proper example before others, it will finally cause them to realize their need to live the same way by accepting the same Lord and motivate them into doing so (1 Pet. 2:12). The Scarlet Letter is a tender and provocative story that we can draw several good illustrations from. The Guilt of Hidden Sin In this story, we soon learn that though Hester Prynne wears a scarlet letter that is visible to the world, there is also another sufferer who wears one in concealment -- and one that eats away at his very soul. The description of Arthur Dimmesdale, the young minister, whose hand is often seen holding his heart, is "now more careworn and emaciated than...at the scene of Hester's public ignominy...his long dark eyes had a world of pain in their troubled and melancholy depth" (p. 116). He continued to grow paler and thinner from week to week. "His nerve seemed absolutely destroyed" (p. 165). The burden of sin can be a heavy load to bear. It can lead to guilt, shame, anxieties, and the loss of contentment. How troubled David had become over his sin with Bathsheba. He writes in Psalm 32:3,4: "When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer." The Good of Guilt and Godly Grief Dimmesdale's guilt became self-inflicted. Seven years had passed, while he continued to feed the torment of his soul: "As a man who had once sinned, but who kept his conscience all alive and painfully sensitive by the fretting of an unhealed wound, he might have been supposed safer within the line of virtue than if he had never sinned at all" (p. 211). What he did to harm his body was certainly not what the Lord would ever require of anyone in seeking forgiveness. Still, Dimmesdale viewed all his suffering for sin as a good thing, and declares, "God...is merciful. He hath proved his mercy, most of all, in my afflictions. By giving me this burning torture to bear upon my breast! By sending yonder dark and terrible old man, to keep the torture always at red-heat! By bringing me hither, to die this death of triumphant ignominy before the people! Had either of these agonies been wanting, I had been lost forever! Praise be His name! His will be done! Farewell!" (p. 269). Thus, were the last words of Dimmesdale. His self-inflicted penance had finally ended his life. Though he appears to have been masochistic, in the sense of inflicting physical torment upon himself for penance, just the guilt of his sin -- even without that self-inflicted punishment -- would have served as a good deterrent from committing the same sin again. I knew a man who foolishly had an adulterous relationship that ended his marriage. His children were still young and at home. His relationship with his ex-wife was now so severed by his unfaithfulness that not even the sincerest or the most heartfelt gestures in expressing his love and concern for her would ever be perceived by her as genuine -- for a long time. For now, to her, even his sincerity was a ploy, a manipulation, a deceitful act. The door of her heart would remain closed to him for some time. Being banished from the woman he loved produced a pain that caused him even more to realize the enormity of his transgression. His world was shattered terribly. For about two years, the man wept in sorrow virtually every day -- even in the public. He couldn't help it. It might be while in a food store, waiting in the checkout line, where he would catch another glimpse of one of the many people who would remind him again of the wife he had lost. It was a terrible experience for him, as well as for his ex-wife. But I believe, as he once told me, that this difficult ordeal had brought him more closer to God than he had ever been. For like a very young child who has touched the fire to now painfully realize that he must never touch it again, so, too, the pain, the humiliation, and the major disruption that this person's sin had caused, thoroughly convinced him that it is a transgression never to be repeated -- and it also produced a suffering that caused him to cast himself completely at the feet of God's mercy. Similarly, as Dimmesdale seemed to have now been "safer within the line of virtue than if he had never sinned at all," the devastating heartache brought on by this divorced man's sin also created a desire to now remain ever true to God, with a determination greater than he had ever had before. So, to the contrary of those who could care less about sin, being so indifferent toward spiritual things, there is great hope for this man whose heart was smitten with godly sorrow and humiliation. For "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, And saves those who are crushed in spirit" (Psa. 34:18). The apostle Paul also speaks of the great value of godly sorrow by showing that it is that which can lead to repentance (2 Cor. 7:10). Therefore, there is much good in the guilt and the grief due to sin. Use godly sorrow wisely. Let it turn you to the Lord. For He can remove your burden of sin through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ. As the Lord states in Matthew 5:4, "Blessed are those who mourn [because of their transgression], for they shall be comforted." The Importance of Forgiving Others There is no "scarlet letter" you need to wear -- inwardly or outwardly -- if you have been forgiven of your sins. As Jesus told the adulterous woman in John 8:11, whom He had shown mercy to, "Neither do I condemn you; go your way. From now on sin no more." Those who would try to keep a "scarlet letter" pinned on someone who has already been forgiven are the very ones who really should be wearing some kind of sign of public shame. For they would be the ones in the wrong. And, ironically, how often would it be that these would not only be guilty of such, but also even more guilty of sin than those whom they accuse and try to attach a permanent stigma upon? The ignominy of Hester's transgression is seen more in the lives of those around her, as they seem so determined to not let it die. If we are correct in assuming that her iniquity had been forgiven by God, somewhere during the offset of the story, then the sin we really focus on is that of her society who were so unwilling to forgive and accept her. If she had been pardoned by the Almighty God, why do they make her continually bear her guilt -- and, initially, want her to carry that burden until her dying day? What a shortcoming it appears to have been on their part, due to their lack of love, mercy, and forgiveness. Furthermore, the importance of forgiving those who have repented can also be seen in the Lord's statement in Matthew 6:14,15: "For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions." And why should we find this such a difficult thing to do, when it is usually just one or two wrongs -- or just a few -- that a particular individual had committed against us? Whereas, we, on the other hand, have committed a multitude of sins against the Almighty God -- which are even too innumerable to count! This inconsistency and hypocrisy is what Jesus expresses in Luke 18 by way of a parable -- the parable of the unmerciful servant. It is a story in which a slave who had owed a tremendous amount was forgiven the debt, but then he turns right around and refuses to pardon the debt of what a fellow slave had owed him -- and which, by far, was just a pittance, in comparison. Due to his cold heart and lack of forgiveness, this merciless one was then shown no mercy by the man who had originally forgiven him of his overwhelming debt. Now, however, he would be condemned and punished. As James teaches, "...judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy..." (Jms. 2:13). Where there is no forgiveness, there will always be a sad story. Is this not one of the reasons why The Scarlet Letter evokes our sympathy, pity, and compassion? May we never fail to show that which so many others had failed to show to Hester Prynne; or, as they had long continued to do, inflict unnecessary pain or suffering on anyone, when it is, rather, our duty to love, forgive, and to be merciful. -- concluded next week ---------------------------------------------------- News & Notes Let us continue praying for Mary Fenner, who has been recently diagnosed with breast cancer at stage four. She has been living in Beaumont, Texas, for about the last 35 years and is the mother of Roy, who preaches in Metairie, Louisiana. We want to also continue to remember Ashley Copeland in prayer who has been suffering from a mysterious illness that the doctors have not yet been able to determine. It causes her to have to be on a very limited diet, or else she will get sick. She has also been experiencing abdominal pains, acid-reflux, and flu-like symptoms. ____________________________________________________ MYRTLE STREET CHURCH OF CHRIST 1022 Myrtle Street Denham Springs, LA 70726 (225) 664-8208 Sunday: 9:15 AM, 10:00 AM, 4:00 PM Wednesday: 7:00 PM evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (225) 667-4520 e-mail: tedwards@onemain.com web site: http://home.onemain.com/~tedwards/go ____________________________________________________