Wenslawski Family Blog

Mark and I are currently reading a "Swans Are Not Silent" book by John Piper about John Newton, Charles Simeon, and William Wilberforce. What we found especially cool about Newton, was that while he was a stalwart self-described Calvinist, he never made commotion about doctrinal differences with other believers. He saw the need for believers to grow in grace, and to make truthful headway in their doctrine, as a byproduct of such growth. But he avoided all controversies surrounding this. He did not care to argue, though he did, always sprinkle his sermons with his reformed theology because he could not divorce his theology from his speech. He noted that the "best method of defeating heresy is by establishing the truth. One proposes to fill a bushel with tares; now if I can fill it first with wheat, I shall defeat his attempts (65)." Yet, he was "unwavering in his commitment to holiness and doctrinal fidelity and was used by God to bring Thomas Scott from the bring of Socinianism to solid Reformed Christianity (67)." I am still thinking through his theory on defeating lies, as I don't necessarily think that truth chokes out lies in the mind. It seems that we can often be dualists and believe the truth and its opposing lie easily because we often don't think through all of the facets of one or the other. So, I have to think more on this. But, what I certainly think is nifty, is how gracious a man he was, and what an example of gentleness to all who met him.

Charles Simeon, on the other hand, was neither gracious nor kind. One of the amusing stories about him, took place when he was visiting a pastor friend, and upon leaving, that friend's daughts complained about Simeon's vexing manner. The kind-hearted pastor explained to the girls that, as an unripe peach, Mr. Simeon is "green now, and we must wait; but a little more sun, and a few more showers, and the peach will be ripe and sweet." I think this story is just as telling about that pastor as it is about Charles Simeon. I would like to be so genteel in my response to those who are adverse...to remember that they are a work-in-progress as much as I, and have Christ's love poured out for them the very same. And that pastor friend proved to be right about Simeon. There is another story in the book, that is indicative of Simeon's growth in grace:

"Receiving and benefiting from criticism is utterly essential to survive and thrive in Christian life and ministry. We need to absorb and profit from reproof- from the Lord and from man. Recall how Simeon interpreted his thirteen-year weakness from age forty-seven to sixty as a rebuke from the Lord for his intention to retire at sixty. He took it well and gave himself with all his might to the ministry of the Word until he died.

At seventy-six he wrote, 'Through mercy I am, for ministerial service, stronger than I have been at any time this thirty years...preaching at seventy-six with all the exuberance of youth...but looking for my dismission daily.' He was not embittered by a thirteen-year rebuke. He was impelled by it. It was the same with rebukes from men. If these rebukes came from his enemies, his sentiment was the sentiment of Genesis 50:20: 'As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.' Simeon said, 'If I suffer with a becoming spirit, my enemies, though unwittingly, must of necessity do me good.'

But his friends rebuked him well. For example, he had the bad habit of speaking as if he were angry about mere trifles. One day at a Mr. Hankinson's house he became so irritated at how the servant was stoking the fire that he gave him a swat on the back to get him to stop. Then when he was leaving, the servant got a bridle mixed up, and Simeon's temper broke out violently against the man. Mr. Hankinson wrote a letter as if from the servant and put it in Simeon's bag to be found later. In it he said that he did not see how a man who preached and prayed so well could be in such a passion about nothing and wear no bridle on his tongue. He signed it 'John Softly.' Simeon responded (on April 12, 1804) directly to the servant with the words, ' To John Softly, from Charles, Proud and Irritable: I most cordially thank you, my dear friend, for your kind and seasonable reproof.' Then he wrote to his friend Mr. Hankinson, 'I hope, my dearest brother, that when you find your soul nigh to God, you will remember one who so greatly needs all the help he can get'" (102-103).

What an example to me of how to handle reproof or correction. I could think of the way I might have responded (at least in my head). I would have said: I wasn't really angry. Why do you have the right to talk to me? I'm sure I've seen you lose your temper- in fact, just last week... And then I would have decided never to look at Mr. Hankinson again. Finally, when I would decide to come around and be a bit more humble, I would recognize what I did, apologize, but overdo that apology- going on and on and on about how horrible I felt- all the while, focusing on Yours Truly. Oh to have an immediate response like Simeon!

Okay, that's my conviction of the hour. Who knows how quickly it will change? But I think that's the constant cry of my heart: give me a heart of flesh, and let me walk humbly with You!