The Blacksmiths Hammer

The Blacksmiths Hammer

Last eve I passed beside a blacksmith’s door,

And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;

Then, looking in, I saw upon the floor

Old hammers, worn with beating years of time.

“How many anvils have you had,” said I,

“To wear and batter all these hammers so?”

“Just one,” said he, and then, with twinkling eye,

The anvil wears the hammers out, you know.”

And so, thought I, the anvil of God’s Word,

For ages skeptic blows have beat upon;

Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard,

The anvil is unharmed - and hammers gone.

                                                                                                            Anonymous
The poem above tells the truth about Christianity. It has been battered by many groups trying to destroy it. All have failed.
The book of Acts records the first group of men to try to stop the spread of the teaching of Christ were the Jewish religious leaders of Christs day.
Two of Christ’s disciples were brought before them on trial for preaching in the name of Jesus. They had thought of executing these men however  a wise man called Gamaliel a Pharisee honoured by the people said,
 “if it (the teaching of Christ)  is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” 
I believe they were fighting against God.
Carnegie Simpson wrote,
“Jesus is not one of the group of world’s great. Talk about Alexander the Great and Charles the Great and Napoleon the Great if you will…Jesus is apart. He is not the Great – He is the only.”
Even Napoleon the French Emperor said,
"You speak of Caesar, of Alexander, of their conquests and of the enthusiasm which they enkindled in the hearts of their soldiers; but can you conceive of a dead man making conquests, with an army faithful and entirely devoted to his memory? My armies have forgotten me even while living, as the Carthaginian army forgot Hannibal. Such is our power.”
“I know men and I tell you, Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded his empire upon love; and at this hour, millions would die for him.”
“I search in vain history to find similar to Jesus Christ, or anything which can approach the gospel.  Neither history nor humanity, nor ages, nor nature, offer me anything with which I am able to compare it or to explain it. Here everything is extraordinary.”
                                                                                Napoleon Bonaparte.
Jesus is indeed extraordinary, he is the Son of God and His word will continue on no matter the circumstances.
The reason His word will continue on is that what Christians teach is directly from God. It is a gospel of love and forgiveness even to our enemies and persecutors.
Jesus said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  
that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  
Matthew 5:43-46
Jesus told us to forgive saying,
“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  
But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” 
                                                                                                                      Matthew 6:14,15.
When Peter asked Jesus how many times we should forgive he said,
“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” 
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” 
                                                                                         Matthew 18:21,22
In other words we are to forgive time without number.
Mahatma Gandhi said,
“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”
                                                                                                   Mahatma Gandhi.
Gandhi was right that is why true Christians and Christianity will never be destroyed.
True Christians can forgive no matter the circumstances because they have the power of God to call upon. And if God is on our side, no one in this world can stop the advancement of our faith.
Think about it.