FLAME OF LOVE

"I can master it," said the Ax. His blows fell heavy on the hard,
strong steel. But each blow only made his edge more blunt until he
ceased to strike.

"Leave it to me," said the Saw. With his relentless teeth, he worked
back and forth. But to his dismay, all of his teeth were worn out or
broken off.

"Ha!" said the Hammer. "I knew you could not do this. Let me show you
how." But with the very first blow, his head flew off, and the steel
was unchanged.

"Shall I try?" asked the Flame. And it curled itself gently around the
strong, hard steel, embraced it, and would not let it go. And the tough
steel melted.

There are hearts that are hard enough to resist the forces of wrath and
the fury of pride. But hard is the heart that can resist the warm flame
of Love.

"'For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with
their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see
with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and
turn, and I would heal them. But blessed are your eyes because they
see, and your ears because they hear. For I tell you the truth, many
prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not
see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.'"