John,
the fisherman, had a gradually but steadily clearing vision. He did not
understand fully. But he understood enough to know that there was more to
come which would clear things up. He could follow where He did not
understand. His love for the Man controlled, while his understanding was
clearing. He went in "_with_ Jesus" that awful night. I imagine he never
left His side. Can we ever be grateful enough that at least one of us was
true that night!

There was the same danger as with the others, and it was made more acute
by His simple, open stand at his Friend's side. But love, with at least
some understanding, held him steady. He could understand that Jesus must
be doing the right thing, even though he could not understand the run of
events that centred about Jesus.

The intensity that would call down fire, changed, under the influence of
the changing, clearing vision, into an intensity of love. It was a
mellower, gentler, evener, but not less intense flame. The disciple whom
Jesus loved became the disciple of love. Love and vision worked upon each
other from earliest times with him. Love made the vision clearer, the
clearing vision made the love stronger, till they worked together into a
perfect blend.

Paul's unmistakable vision on the Damascus road brought a passion of love,
and an answering obedience, that swept him like a great flame. The
fire-marks of that flame could be found all over the Roman Empire. He made
mistakes doubtless, but these but made the trend of his whole life stand
out the more. Paul was a wonderful combination of brain and heart and
will, held in remarkable poise. The finest classic on love is from his
pen. John could love. Paul could love, and could tell about love.

But a peculiar tenderness comes into one's heart as we remember that there
was just one Man who held these three in perfect poise. And let us not
forget that though He was more than man, yet it was a _man_, one of
ourselves, who so held these three in such fine balance. It was a human
poise, even as planned by the Father for the human life. The clear vision
early began coming to Him,[106] and it became clearer and fuller and
unmistakable until it had had its fulfilment. Obedience was the touchstone
of all His life, from Nazareth to Olivet. And who, like Him, had the heart
of tender love, the heart that was ever moved with compassion at sight of
need, the heart that broke at the last under the sore grief of its burden
of lo