Be True

The only other book I was ever made to read in high school that I remember was The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. This book probably affected my young life more than any other besides the Bible! The moral stated by the author surprised me. He was not preaching abstinence as many people believe. I think in 1850, when this was written, everyone held that belief already. Although reading this book definitely reinforced my conviction about that; what my life could be like if I sinned in that way.

But his moral is this: “Be true! Be true! Be true! Show freely to the world, if not your worst, yet some trait whereby the worst may be inferred!” I actually put this as my Facebook status last year right after Cathryn and I finished reading it.

What I take Hawthorne to mean is that sin should be confessed as soon as possible, and often not just to God, but to others. Keep clean accounts with people, be yourself. Hiding things (especially sins) devour the spirit and body of a person. I have done my best to live by this principle. One of the results is that most everybody knows where they stand with me. Sometimes I am maybe too honest, and have hurt people. Also, nothing hurts me more than someone thinking something about me that is not true. I can literally lose sleep at night if I think there is something unresolved in any of my relationships. In college I actually went to the next-door neighbor’s to my childhood home and confessed to throwing rocks in their pool as a child. They had asked me once if I had done it and I had lied.

Rereading this book last year with Cathryn (my third or fourth time) helped me see that over the years I have lost sight of this goal of being true and for many years tried to get people to think only well of me. I had put pressure on myself to be more perfect than is humanly possible. I am glad for the humility God has taught me the last two years and the reminders in His word and in this book to BE TRUE!

I read one other book by Hawthorne this year, The House of the Seven Gables. It was interesting, but not nearly as good. In this work he deals with the possibility of a family being “cursed” by the sin of an ancestor that is only lifted when things are made right, and hidden things are revealed. I don’t think God always works that way. Of course there are direct consequences to sin, but the problems this family faces don’t seem always to be related to the misdealing of the ancestor. Greed was behind it and only one of the four living relatives of this man has the same problem with greed.

In both books, Hawthorne punishes his “bad guys” with death. Their bodies just cannot handle living with the consequences of sin. Instead of rejoicing that the “bad guy” “gets it” in the end, Hawthorne leads the reader to feel only pity, compassion, and remorse, with an understanding that, “There, but for the grace of God go I.” ~John Bradford 1553 (about 100 years before the setting to The Scarlet Letter)

I used to think that everyone should read The Scarlet Letter before they finish high school. I still do, but these days that is almost too late to learn the lessons this book teaches. The book is pretty difficult to read and comprehend for younger than high school age. If you have never read it, please do! I bet you won’t regret it. Just keep in mind that Hawthorne paints a “historical” picture of Puritans as only judgemental and harsh. This is unfortunate. Those I know who have studied church history have informed me that although some people must have been that way, as some church-goers are today, most Puritans tried to practice Biblical love and grace as most of today’s true Christians do. I hate it that some public schools use this book to paint Christians in a bad light.

These first two posts are pretty "heavy". I have started blogging by writing about the books that have affected me the most. I promise I will also blog a lot about books that I have enjoyed just because they are fun! I can't help it if I get passionate about books!