156. Похититель

We hear that those people who steal someone else’s property in any way, that is, either openly, or secretly, or through flattery, are called dishonest by the name: kidnappers and thieves. This lawless deed is contrary to the commandment of God: Thou shalt not steal. So, most of all, kidnappers and thieves are those people who somehow steal and appropriate glory and praise and so on, due to the only God. These include: 1) Those who preach God's word for the sake of praise and glory. For the word of God was given to us for the sake of our salvation and the glory of the name of God; for his sake it must be preached. But when people preach it for the sake of their own praise and glory, they steal the glory that is due to God alone. Hence it happens that such preachers bring little benefit to people, although people praise them, because they preach not for the sake of which the word of God was given. Why does it not really happen in the hearts of those who hear. 2) Those rich people who spend their wealth on building rich houses, on rich clothes, on rich carriages and horses, on rich tables, on rich decoration of servants and other pomp and vanity, so that from here they can have praise and glory from the world. Our wealth and possessions are God’s good; and it was given to us for the sake of our poverty and need, and not for the sake of our praise and glory; It is given that we ourselves should use this moderately, and that we should help our neighbors, for the sake of the honor and glory of the name of God. But if we do not do this, but from this we seek praise and glory for ourselves, then we rob ourselves of the glory that is due to God alone. For all God's good is. The earth is the Lord's and what fills it (Ps. 23:61). Let everything and every good thing of God be for the glory of God, and not ours. It will be enough for us to use God’s goodness, and for this to thank God and glorify His holy name, and not to seek praise and glory for ourselves from this. 3) Those people who do alms and other good deeds to show themselves; also those who build the churches of God and decorate them, build almshouses so that people can glorify and praise them. All such people seek their own glory, not God’s, and therefore steal what is due to God alone. 4) This also includes those who show their intelligence and wisdom or eloquence so that people can glorify and praise them. All such people, both those mentioned above and others, who do some good, but want to become glorified from it, steal the glory of God. God is the Beginning and Source of all good; therefore to Him alone from all goodness glory and praise are due. For a person, as a beggar and a poor person who receives good from God freely, without any merit of his own, it is enough that he enjoys the good as a gift; and glory and thanksgiving must be attributed and given to the only God, our Benefactor. But when he seeks glory and praise for himself for God’s good, he steals God’s for himself, and in his heart he retreats from God, and he idolizes himself, which is scary to even say, and places himself in the place where he should have God, and he attracts the honor that he should give to God, which is a vile and grave sin, and similar to the devil’s sin, with which he retreated from God and his Creator. Look, man, and judge where your love of fame and pride leads you! 5) What a person does in the present age and hides in his heart, will appear at the Judgment of Christ and the whole world will know about it; and whatever a person does, as if lending to God, he will then receive it. If he glorifies God here, living in the world, he himself will be glorified by God there. If he despises and humiliates God, he himself will be despised and humiliated. Therefore the Lord says: Only those who glorify Me will I glorify, but whoever humiliates Me will be put to shame (1 Samuel 2:30). 6) Therefore, Christian, pay attention to what you are doing and for whom: are you pleasing God’s will or your own will, are you seeking God’s honor or your own in your work. When you please your own will rather than God’s, you prefer your will to God’s, which is hard and scary. When you seek your own honor, and not God’s, in your work, you abandon God, and you honor and idolize yourself as God, as you yourself can see, which is just as terrible and lawless. God, who tests hearts and wombs, also sees your heart, and what you do for, sees. Beware lest you become an enemy of God instead of one who honors God. Self-love, self-will and love of glory lead a person to such destruction, although he, like a blind man, does not see it. For pride and love of fame blinds a person. So, look around, beloved, and throw away the vile idol of pride from your heart; and from that seat on which you sit and worship yourself, come down, and there give place to the Lord of Hosts, Whom the Angels worship with fear and all creation serves; and give Him His glory, and His praise, and His honor, and worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23), and honor Him as your God and Creator. To Him alone is due all glory, honor and worship. Glorify God both in your bodies and in your souls, which are God's (1 Cor. 6:20). Fear God and give Him glory (Rev. 14:7). Do everything for the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31). You might be interested in: