Indian civilization is spiritual and has kept spirituality at the forefront, allowing people the freedom to reform the system. For example, the enlightened Kabir speaks of all those who worship God as children of God without any discrimination of caste. The climax of India’s religious ideal has been renunciation. And this ideal of renunciation is also seen in the life of Jesus.
When God incarnated in the person of Jesus Christ, he was born in a manger and had no place to lay his head. The Bible so beautifully summarises the life of Christ Jesus. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake, he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9). In the life of Sadhu Sunder Singh we see this ideal lived out. It is fortunate for the Indian Church that the first man who became widely known as a Christian Sadhu was of simple and humble faith.
People need to see Christ as well as hear about Him. People need the simple Christian, who, in a life of gentleness and patience, lowly love and humble service, will unveil the beauty of Christ to them. Herein lies one great secret of the Sadhu’s power over people wherever he goes. Taking the old ideal of renunciation, he has spiritualized it. And men see in him a reflection of the great renunciation of Christ Himself-not seeking to suffer for suffering’s own sake, as is the case with some asceticism, but enduring it with cheerful acceptance as God’s will for him.
He utterly disowns the idea that there is no intrinsic and special holiness in the life of the Sadhu. His addresses, like his personality, are radiant with glowing faith in God as one to whom God is a familiar friend. Following Christ Jesus gives us joy and peace as we continue to abide in God and bless people for the common good.