DO NOT BE CONCERNED ABOUT OUTWARD THINGS
THE VOICE OF CHRIST
MY CHILD, there are many matters of which it is well for you to
be ignorant, and to consider yourself as one who is dead upon the
earth and to whom the whole world is crucified. There are many things,
too, which it is well to pass by with a deaf ear, thinking, instead,
of what is more to your peace. It is more profitable to turn away from
things which displease you and to leave to every man his own opinion
than to take part in quarrelsome talk. If you stand well with God and
look to His judgment, you will more easily bear being worsted.
THE DISCIPLE
To what have we come, Lord? Behold, we bewail a temporal loss.
We labor and fret for a small gain, while loss of the soul is
forgotten and scarcely ever returns to mind. That which is of little
or no value claims our attention, whereas that which is of highest
necessity is neglected -- all because man gives himself wholly to
outward things. And unless he withdraws himself quickly, he willingly
lies immersed in externals. |
Of not troubling ourselves about outward things
"My Son, in many things it behoveth thee to be
ignorant, and to esteem thyself as one dead upon the earth, and as one
to whom the whole world is crucified. Many things also thou must pass
by with deaf ear, and must rather think upon those things which belong
unto thy peace. It is more profitable to turn away thine eyes from
those things that displease, and to leave each man to his own opinion,
than to give thyself to discourses of strife. If thou stand well with
God and hast His judgment in thy mind, thou wilt verily easily bear to
be as one conquered."
2. O Lord, to what have we come? Behold a
temporal loss is mourned over; for a trifling gain we labour and
hurry; and spiritual loss passeth away into forgetfulness, and we
rarely recover it. That which profiteth little or nothing is looked
after, and that which is altogether necessary is negligently passed
by; because the whole man slideth away to outward things, and unless
he quickly recovereth himself in outward things he willingly lieth
down. |