I am at present reading the biography of of one South Africa's famous poets. But this man was more than a poet. He was a journalist, the owner of a newspaper, a writer, an advocate, a medical practitioner, an animal lover who did a great amount of research into the lives of certain animals and insects. He was, from all accounts, a very charismatic man, well liked wherever he went. He was highly intelligent and gifted in many ways. He lived during the last quarter of the 1800's and to the age (I have not finished reading yet) I think of about 60 - 65.
He also knew a lot of sorrow and pain in his life. His wife died approximately one week after the birth of their first child and as far as I am aware, at this stage, he never remarried, although he had a number of affairs or relationships and friendships with other women.
He was also addicted to morphine for the greatest part of his life and never able to rid himself of this addiction for very long. This, or course, caused him a lot of pain and heartache.
He was friends with influencial people, politicians, wealthy people, but also with the poorest of the poor and he apparently loved children very much and invested a great deal of time into the lives of the children of his friends and many of his relatives.
Yet, this wonderful person, seemed not only not to have had a relationship with God, but was either an agnostic, or an athiest. It seems sad to me that even though he was hiper intelligent and gifted, he should have missed out on the most valuable and fulfilling relationship he could possibly have experienced.
Then I read about a town where he lived that was apparently ruled or dominated by a specific minister of religion and an occasion was described where a friend of this poet, also a very famous South African author, visited him and is said to have asked him: "Are you not scared that you will receive an overdose of the Holy Spirit whilst you are in this place?"
WOW! How sad! Arrogance or ignorance? I asked myself: Would I exchange my love for and relationship with God for their intelligence, or giftings? For their success or fame? And of course, although I am aware that this could very well be seen as "sour grapes", the answer is an emphatic "Definitely not".
"And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day
of redemption..." Eph. 4:30
Thank You, Lord, that You wish to have a personal relationship with each and every human being. Thank You that You do not despise those of us who perhaps don't quite make the top 10 or even 100 or 1000 most intelligent or gifted people in the world. Thank You that we are acceptable just as we are. Please help us to never grieve Your Spirit.
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