Читать книгу Listen My Son - Dwight Longenecker - Страница 27

It is most important that he should not pay greater attention to transient earthly things that pass away, and so fail to recognise or underestimate the salvation of the souls entrusted to him. Let him always consider that it is souls that he has undertaken to rule, and for whom he will give an account. Moreover, in order that he may not complain of reduced temporal goods, let him remember the Scripture, ‘Seek God's Kingdom first, and his righteousness, and all these other things will be given you as well,’ and again, ‘Nothing is lacking to those who fear him.’ Let him realise that he who undertakes to rule souls must prepare himself to give an account. Whatever the number of brethren under his care, he must understand clearly that he will have to render an account on the Day of Judgement for all these souls, in addition, of course, to his own. Thus as he bears ever in mind the enquiry that will be made on the shepherd's care of the sheep entrusted to him, the thought that he takes concerning the accounts to be rendered for others will make him careful of his own state. And so, while he provides by his instructions for the amendment of others, he will be brought also to the amendment of his own faults.

If we really make the health of our marriage and family our first priority we will soon be faced with some difficult decisions. The race for more money or greater business success will invariably take us away from home more. A promotion may mean moving house at a time when the children are settling well into their school and community. So putting the family first may require the sacrifice of our career, or a real reduction or limitation to our income.

Benedict again exhorts us to get our priorities right, no matter what the cost. We are not to pay more attention to ‘transient earthly things that pass away [2 Cor. 4.18] and so fail to recognize or underestimate the salvation of the souls entrusted to [us]’. This is a great demand. Would we really be willing to refuse a promotion, accept a reduction in pay or even face redundancy in order to put our family first? These are real possibilities which we face in an increasingly competitive workplace.

Benedict's world was also financially insecure. So while he echoes the Lord's question, ‘What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?’ he also reassures us that the one who puts God's Kingdom first will have everything else added to him (Matt. 6.33). The promise is true that nothing is lacking for those who fear him (Ps. 33[34].10). One of the things to remember when weighing up priorities and commitments is that the sooner we decide that we have ‘enough’, the sooner we will be freed to do what we really want and ought to do.

It is possible to live a simpler life. It is possible to live as we ought to live and rely on God to provide our needs, and nothing will impress the faith on children more than seeing their own parents living sacrificially and trying to put their faith into action.

This is why Benedict reminds us that we will one day face a judgement where our actions and decisions will be weighed (Heb. 13.17). Because of this we are called again to make our families the very highest priority. We should do so because in helping to amend the lives of those in our care, we see our own faults more clearly, and so prepare ourselves for that day when our own lives will be judged (Rev. 20.12; Matt. 16.27).