AVOIDING FALSE HOPE AND PRIDE
VAIN is the man who puts
his trust in men, in created things.
Do not be ashamed to serve
others for the love of Jesus Christ and to seem poor in this world. Do
not be self-sufficient but place your trust in God. Do what lies in
your power and God will aid your good will. Put no trust in your own
learning nor in the cunning of any man, but rather in the grace of God
Who helps the humble and humbles the proud.
If you have wealth, do not
glory in it, nor in friends because they are powerful, but in God Who
gives all things and Who desires above all to give Himself. Do not
boast of personal stature or of physical beauty, qualities which are
marred and destroyed by a little sickness. Do not take pride in your
talent or ability, lest you displease God to Whom belongs all the
natural gifts that you have.
Do not think yourself
better than others lest, perhaps, you be accounted worse before God
Who knows what is in man. Do not take pride in your good deeds, for
God's judgments differ from those of men and what pleases them often
displeases Him. If there is good in you, see more good in others, so
that you may remain humble. It does no harm to esteem yourself less
than anyone else, but it is very harmful to think yourself better than
even one. The humble live in continuous peace, while in the hearts of
the proud are envy and frequent anger. |
Of fleeing from vain hope and pride
Vain is the life of that man who
putteth his trust in men or in any created Thing. Be not ashamed to
be the servant of others for the love of Jesus Christ, and to be
reckoned poor in this life. Rest not upon thyself, but build thy hope
in God. Do what lieth in thy power, and God will help thy good
intent. Trust not in thy learning, nor in the cleverness of any that
lives, but rather trust in the favour of God, who resisteth the proud
and giveth grace to the humble.
2. Boast not thyself in thy
riches if thou hast them, nor in thy friends if they be powerful, but
in God, who giveth all things, and in addition to all things desireth
to give even Himself. Be not lifted up because of thy strength or
beauty of body, for with only a slight sickness it will fail and
wither away. Be not vain of thy skilfulness or ability, lest thou
displease God, from whom cometh every good gift which we have.
3. Count not thyself better than
others, lest perchance thou appear worse in the sight of God, who
knoweth what is in man. Be not proud of thy good works, for God's
judgments are of another sort than the judgments of man, and what
pleaseth man is ofttimes displeasing to Him. If thou hast any good,
believe that others have more, and so thou mayest preserve thy
humility. It is no harm to thee if thou place thyself below all
others; but it is great harm if thou place thyself above even one.
Peace is ever with the humble man, but in the heart of the proud there
is envy and continual wrath. |