Spiritually Blinkered
John Wesley once wrote: "The thing that scared me most and which I most wished to prevent, at any cost, was group-orientated belief; an inner stiffness, in other words, to be spiritually closed up. This awful credulousness! It causes many to think that God is only working among us. I thought of a means to overcome this, which is to tell those who will listen about the works of God around the world. Works that He not only performed in this country, but also in other countries; not only among us, but among other people of different opinions and denominations. I set aside one evening a month for this purpose, and see no reason why I should regret my work. Usually these hours bring much comfort to those who love all mankind for His sake. It is also a time in which the walls of separation are torn down which had previously been built by either Satan's slyness or people's stupidity. Moreover, it is a time in which every child of God is encouraged to say the following:
"For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother"
(MATTHEW 12:50).
Let us always remember the words of our Lord which He spoke when the disciples would not allow someone to do good, because he did not join them:
"Forbid him not:... For he that is not against us is on our part"
(MARK 9:38-40).
Translated from the German: “Geistliche Scheuklappen”