137. Не касайся, ты этого поднять не можешь

We hear one saying this to another: “Don’t touch it, you can’t lift it.” This word is spoken to those who want to take into their hands a stone or some other weight that exceeds their strength, and lift it and carry it; then he is correctly told: “Don’t touch him, you can’t lift him.” Christian! Honor for a Christian is a great burden; and the greater and higher the honor, the greater its severity. So, if you go in honor, consider your strength, whether you can bear this burden. If you cannot lift and carry it, do not touch it, lest it weigh you down, so as not to fall and lie under that heavy burden, and not bear it. He who wants to look at many must have many eyes. He who wants to rule others must learn to govern himself first; to correct oneself for those who want to correct others; teach yourself to someone who wants to teach others; to be a light to those who want to enlighten others; to be salt to those who want to salt others; to be an image and an unsullied mirror into which many will look; to be a father who provides for his children in a fatherly manner; to be a vigilant and vigilant watchman, who guards not the city and walls and material possessions, but the souls of Christians, for whom Christ the Lord shed His Blood; to be a skillful leader who leads not to a material city, but to eternal life; One must be strong who must bear many infirmities. The taller the tree, the more often it sways from any storm or bad weather. On a small tree and standing in a low place, little wind blows; but what is high and stands on a mountain is subject to every wind and is swayed by it. It needs to have its roots firmly established deep in the earth, so that when a storm comes it will not be uprooted, and will not fall, and will not be crushed. In solitude and lowliness, a living Christian must bear his cross and follow Christ, for there are many sorrows (Ps. 33:20) for Christians; but for the sake of honor, the one who is found must bear a larger and heavier cross. And the higher the honor of a Christian, the heavier the burden. The devil, our adversary, rises up and fights against every Christian, but first of all against the Christian leader. He uses all his strength to depose and capture the Christian leader. The enemy in the war of this world shoots at no one more than at generals and commanders; so the enemy of Christians, the devil, does not arm himself against anyone more than against those Christians who rule other Christians and want to save themselves and others. His favorite prey is a Christian commander, deposed and captured by him. And his captive is anyone who lives contrary to the word of God, seeks his own gain and not that of his superiors, seduces, and does not govern and correct people. Then he conveniently captivates other Christian souls, just as a visible enemy, having captured the commander, creates confusion in his subordinate soldiers, and conveniently captures them too. He has his own servants, false Christians, who, like tares among the wheat, stand and grow. Through them he makes many slander, intrigues and tricks to the Christian in charge. All the past centuries testify to this evil; We notice this and see it even now. These slanderers are more dangerous for the Christian boss than the devil himself, since they are wolves, but hidden under sheep's skins; They speak kindly and, like Judas, greet, but in their hearts they learn to betray. A boss who wants to save himself and his subordinates must be prudent and prudent. These souls imagine a lot about their boss, and sow these imaginations among their subordinates; and it happens that in the tongues of men there is something that did not even occur to the boss. And so there is great confusion, discord, suspicion and doubt about the boss among those in charge. All this evil and evil rumor strikes the boss’s soul. He needs to be strong if he wants to lift and carry this weight, and he certainly must. Many Christians care about nothing more than to achieve honor, and the highest honor. But they themselves don’t know what they care about. An unreasonable and faulty Christian is honored like a madman with a sword, with which he destroys himself and others. All Christians swear and swear before God Almighty and Knower of Hearts when they accept honor; but many, having left the church, forget and break their oath promise. It is clear that such people had only an oath on their lips and tongue, but godlessness was hidden in their hearts. Society groans and suffers a lot from such juries. It would be better for them not to be born, or for those born to cultivate the land and feed themselves, than to achieve honor and shed many innocent tears. Woe to such a boss! God, the Father of the orphans and the Judge of widows, will seek from him every drop of tears of His offended people. Come to your senses, you fools among the people, and, you fools, finally understand: He who planted the ear does not hear, or He who created the eye does not see? Will not the Instructor of the nations, the One who teaches man understanding, reprove? (Ps. 93:8–10) So, take heed to this, Christian, and do not touch what you cannot lift. And although this is said to everyone who receives honor, it is said more to those who enter into the rank and office of pastor and want to be a priest or bishop. Don't touch what you can't lift; and do not seek or take on a burden that is heavier than your strength, lest it weigh you down and plunge you into the abyss. And when you are called to honor, consider whether you can bear that burden. And when the will of God will be in your honor, then although you will run away from honor, you will be in honor. We see many examples of this in Church history. And truly it is! For God's determination does not pass. You might be interested in: