tribal life, and a delay of many years, apparently,
before the conditions were ripe for the coming of the heir of faith, on
God's own plan.

Peter eating with his Gentile Christian brothers, and then refusing to eat
with them, when some Jewish Christians came down from Jerusalem, made
very bitter feeling in the Church at Antioch, for a time.[105] Paul's
clearer light helped. Time spent in waiting for clearer light is always
time wisely spent, even though we may seem slow.

There may be _love without clear vision_. The love makes intense desire to
do something, but with no clear idea of what would best be done. Peter's
awkward sword-thrust was an attempt to help, because of real love in his
heart for his Master, now in personal danger. The Master's quiet healing
touch recognized the love, and also rebuked and corrected the hasty,
ill-advised action. But there's worse yet here, mean contemptible
cowardice. Peter actually denying his relation with his Friend and Master,
and making his denial seem more natural by the addition of the oaths that
the maid well knew no follower of this Jesus could have uttered--what mean
contemptible cowardice! But go gently there in using such hard words. He
was only afraid of being hurt. He merely wanted to save himself. That
isn't such an uncommon thing. Haven't you sometimes known something of
this sort--_among others?_

The cowardly nine, making a new record for fleet-footedness, down the
road, in the dark, were only doing the same thing in more cowardly,
less-spirited fashion. These men loved Jesus. No one may doubt that. But
there was no clear understanding of that night's doings, though the
Master had faithfully and plainly tried to tell them. Fear for their own
safety overcame the real love in their hearts for the Man they forsook
that dark night.

_Clear vision and love without obedience_ is--impossible! Where there is
no obedience, or faulty obedience, either the vision has blurred or
dimmed, or the love is burning low.

_Clear vision and loving obedience_ mean power, sweet, gentle, fragrant,
helpful power. It means a grateful crowd, and a pleased Master, who has
been able once again to reach the crowd.

_Clear vision and love as a passion_, an intense passion, means
irresistible power. That is to say it means a perfect human medium through
which our Lord Jesus can act and manifest Himself. And this is the real
meaning of power, power to the full,--Jesus Christ in free action.