C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) did not like writing letters. In his autobiography, he wrote that he dreaded the arrival of the postman, adding that in the ideal life “a man would have almost no mail.” The arrival of the mail always meant more letters to answer, and even though he did not like writing letters, Lewis answered every single one. Even when very ill, he still answered all his mail– and did so until the day before he slipped into a coma and died.
Lewis was by far the most popular and widely read Christian writer of the 20th century. He died in 1963, but all his books are still in print and sales are still booming. He has had a profound influence on three generations of Christians. Many of his readers had questions, so he received much mail.
This man who did not like writing letters, spent an average of two hours a day, every day, for twenty years, answering his mail. It is estimated he answered fifty to a hundred thousand letters. Over 3,200 have survived, many of which have been published in three large volumes.
Lewis wrote many books about the Christian faith and he knew he was shaping the faith of many. He saw his letter writing as a duty of ‘spiritual hospitality;’ an opportunity to minister to others given to him by the Holy Spirit. He did not want to disobey this call of God, and he considered writing all those letters as a part of his mission in life. He addressed questions of faith and life with wisdom and kindness. Though he was a brilliant Oxford professor, he did not ‘talk down’ to people. Rather, he was able to speak on their level in a way that was so personal that respondents were made to feel like they were hearing from a friend.
(MORAL OF THE STORY: We can, and must, do what we believe God wants us to do, even if we don’t want to.)
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SELECTIONS FROM THE LETTERS OF C. S. LEWIS:
To a discouraged young man struggling with faith: “Of course God does not consider you hopeless. If He did, He would not be moving you to seek Him (and He obviously is) … Continue seeking Him with seriousness. Unless He wanted you, you would not be wanting Him.”
September 12, 1960: “No ‘thrills’ are of any lasting use. They are indeed like drugs—a stronger dose is needed each time and soon no possible dose is effective. We must not bother about thrills at all. Do the present duty—bear the present pain—enjoy the present pleasure—and leave emotions and (spiritual) ‘experiences’ to look after themselves. That’s the program, isn’t it?”
March 2, 1955: “It is right and inevitable that we should be much concerned about the salvation of those we love. But we must be careful not to expect or demand that their salvation should conform to some ready-made pattern of our own. Some Protestants have gone very wrong about this. They have a whole program of ‘conviction’, ‘conversion,’ et cetera, marked out, the same for everyone, and will not believe that anyone can be saved who doesn’t go through it ‘just so’. But God has His own unique way with each soul. There is no evidence that St. John ever underwent the same kind of ‘conversion’ as St. Paul.”
April 10, 1959 (to one facing severe illness): “Take it day by day and hour by hour (as we took it at the front line in the war). It is quite astonishing how many happy moments we had together when there was no hope.”
To one struggling with unanswered prayer for healing: “Yes, I do believe people are still healed by miracles and by faith: but of course, whether this has happened in any one particular case, is not so easy to find out.”
March 27, 1948: “Everywhere things are troubling and uneasy—wars and rumors of war: perhaps not the final hour but certainly times most evil. Nevertheless, the Apostle again and again bids us to ‘Rejoice’ (Philippians 4:4). Nature herself bids us do so, the very face of the earth being now renewed at the start of Spring… I believe that we think too much about the state of nations and the situation of the world. We are not kings; we are not senators. Let us beware lest, while we torture ourselves in vain about the state of the whole world, we neglect either Verona or Oxford (their own towns). In the poor man who knocks at my door, in my ailing mother, in the young man who seeks my advice, the Lord Himself is present: therefore, let us serve them. I have always believed that Voltaire, infidel though he was, was right when he gave the advice to cultivate your own garden. Tomorrow we shall celebrate the glorious Resurrection of Christ. Away with tears and fears and troubles! It would be impious to call ourselves ‘miserable’. Let us lift up our hearts! At some future time perhaps even these things will be a joy to recall.
July 1963, to one who was dying: “Pain is terrible, but surely you need not have fear as well. Can you not see death as the friend and deliverer? It means stripping off that body which is tormenting you… What is there to be afraid of? You have long attempted to live a Christian life. Your sins are confessed and absolved. Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave it with regret? There are better things ahead than any we leave behind.”
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I Peter 3:15 — In your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.
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PRAYER BY LEWIS BASED ON JOHN 7:17 (from Collected Letters of C. S. Lewis, Volume II, March 18, 1952):
Almighty God, who art the Father of lights and who has promised by thy dear Son that all who do thy will shall know thy doctrine: give me grace so to live that by daily obedience I daily increase in faith and in the understanding of thy Holy Word, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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