The Man Who Puts His Heart and Soul

The widow threw two small coins into the treasury of the Temple, and the Lord said that she put more than all, even though the others were throwing money in mercilessly. So, what did she value her small coins? The state of mind with which she brought her offering.

Do you see the difference between a soulless good deed, done because "that is the custom", and a good deed in which a person puts his heart and soul?

It is not the way it appears on the outside that gives value to a deed, but the state of mind of the doer. This is how it happens that a wonderful deed in all respects may have no value before God, and another, insignificant in appearance, may find high esteem in Him. What follows from this, anyone can see. However, let no one think that he can abandon the externals, limiting himself only to the internal ones. That widow would not have been praised if she had said to herself:

"I would also like to give, but what should I do? I have only two small coins. If I give them, I will be left without a farthing."

But she, as she wished, did so, entrusting her life into the hands of God. And if she had given nothing, no one would have condemned her: neither people nor God; but then she would not have given evidence of that disposition of soul which distinguished her from others and made her glorious throughout the Christian world.

Enumerating the virtues for which we should have all our effort after receiving the grace powers, the Apostle Peter speaks and urges us:

"If these things are in you and abound, they will make you neither idle nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (II Pet. l, 8). These virtues must be worked on not just once, but we must do so that they remain in us forever, to be rooted in us and, being so, not to remain at the same level, but to increase more and more, growing in power and fruitfulness. Only in this way, the Apostle wants to say, will you not remain idle and unfruitful "in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ". He enters into the knowledge of the Lord who believes in Him and confesses Him.

Do you say that you have faith?

Be careful not to make this faith vain and unfruitful.

But what must I do so that my faith may not be like this?

You must increase in all virtues. Where are those who say: "Just believe, and that is enough; nothing more is needed"?! He who believes such a thing is blind (II Pet. 1:8,9).

Saint Theophan the Recluse

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