1912 Watch Tower - A2Z.org

to harm that child. He might sometimes make amistake and punish the child unjustly, but the motivebehind a loving parent's action will always be kind andtrue.Love might sometimes be regarded as unkind, for theprinciples governing the actions of the individual mightbe misunderstood. When our Heavenly Father forbadeAdam and Eve to partake of the fruit of the Tree ofKnowledge, He had a wise reason for so doing. Nodoubt He would have eventually permitted them to partakeof that fruit; but it was kindness on His part tokeep them in ignorance of that fact. Thinking God to beunkind, ungenerous toward them, Eve thought to obtainher rights. So with us. If our Heavenly Father's kindnessis not always understood, we may not be surprisedif we have a similar experience. Although our spirit, ormotive, may be right, yet we may not always have theability to manifest it; and so we must make due allowancewhen others misunderstand us.THE POWER OF INDWELLING LOVEMan was originally made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26,27);but by reason of the fall of Adam, his balanceof mind has been destroyed. Those who have the mind,or will of Christ are able to overcome some of theinequalities of their natural disposition and to thinksoberly of their own knowledge and ignorance and ofthat of others. This ability to appreciate the true stateof affairs is the secret of much of our blessing in theLord.When we see others who have a smaller appreciationof justice than we have and who do things contrary to theprinciples of righteousness, we rejoice that we know betterand are able to do better than they. The spirit of asound mind shows us that we have more ability alongsome lines than have some others, and that others havemore ability along some lines than we. Because of thefall of man, all are weak in one direction or another.The knowledge of the imperfect condition of humanityshould humble us rather than puff us up.Humility of mind comes only after the attainment ofconsiderable knowledge of Christ. Knowledge puffs upbecause of selfishness of heart, because we are more likelyto be conscious of our own good qualities than of thoseof others. Hence those born with less selfishness haveless to contend with, and those born with more of it havemore to contend with; and in proportion as we have theSpirit of Christ, we are able to overcome the tendency tobe puffed up with what little knowledge we possess.Indwelling love has the power to build up, to strengthencharacter, and to counteract the wrong effect of the fallenhuman nature.PROPER AND IMPROPER CAUSES OF PROVOCATION