Vessels of gold

 I started listening to, The History of the Church of Christ, Century 3, by Joseph Milner. I highly recommend the book. It is well written and the author's commentaries that accompany each character he deals with, are instructive. Although he is moralistic at times, which is not the best trait in a historian, he was also a Christian which entitled him to his remarks that will enrich one's understanding of the subject at hand.
Anyway, this is not a book review. The reason for writing this blog entry is this quote, found in the beginning of chapter 16:

“It has been already mentioned that Cyprian heard about the death of Sixtus, Bishop of Rome, a little before his own martyrdom. In pursuance of the cruel orders of Valerian for carrying on the persecution, he had been seized with some of his clergy. While they were carrying him to the execution, Laurentius, his chief deacon followed him weeping and said, 'Wherest thou goeth father without thy son?' Sixtus said, 'You shall follow me in three days.'
We may suppose him to have been possessed with the spirit of prophecy in saying this because we are certain that miraculous gifts were of by no means extinct in the Church but perhaps the declaration was not out of the reach of common sagacity from the circumstances of affairs.
After Sixtus' death the prefect of Rome, moved by an idle report of the immense riches of the Roman Church, sent for Laurentius and ordered him to deliver them up. Laurentius replied, 'Give me a little time to set everything in order and to take account of each particular.' the prefect granted him three days time. In that time Laurentius collected all the poor who were supported by the Roman Church and going to the prefect said, 'Come behold the riches of our God! You shall see a large court full of golden vessels!' The prefect followed him but seeing all the poor people, turned to Laurentius with looks full of anger. 'What are you displeased at?' said the martyr, 'The gold you so eagerly desire is but a vile metal taken out of the earth and serves as an incitement to all sorts of crimes. The true gold is the Light, whose disciples these poor men are. The misery of their body is an advantage to their souls. Sin is the true disease. The great ones of the earth are truly poor and contemptible. These are the treasures which I promised you to which I will add precious stones. Behold these virgins and widows, they are the Church's crown. Make use of these riches for the advantage of Rome, of the Emperor and yourself.'
Doubtless, had the prefect's mind been at all disposed to receive an instructive lesson, he had met with one here. The liberality of Christians in maintaining a great number of objects and looking for no recompense for that which shall take place at the resurrection of the just while they patiently bore affliction and rested humbly on an unseen Savior, was perfectly agreeable to the mind of Him who bids His disciples in a well-known parable, to relieve those who cannot recompense them. And glorious was the scene, at a time that the rest of the world was tearing one another in pieces, and philosophers aided not the miseries of men in the least, but as the persecutors would not hear the doctrines explained so neither would they see the precepts exemplified with patience.
'Do you mock me!' cries the prefect, 'I know you value yourself for contending death and therefore you shall not die at once!' Then he caused him to be stripped, extended and fastened to a gridiron and in that manner be broiled to death by a slow fire. When he had continued a considerable time on one side, he said to the prefect, 'Let me be turned, I am sufficiently broiled on one side.' And when they had turned him, he said, 'It is enough, you may eat.' Then looking up to heaven, he prayed for the conversion of Rome and gave up the ghost.”

There are countless stories of the bravery of believers in the face of torture and death. The one above made me think of Paul's passage in 1 Corinthians 1:27-29

“But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”
Believers now boast of their great knowledge and understanding of Scriptures, but have lost so much of their fire... or maybe I'm the only one. I don't wish to be one of those that moan at the state of things in their generation, because the last thing I wish to be is a cliché. I think I am sad for myself mainly. I feel ashamed that believers with little to no comfort, little to no knowledge concerning the Scriptures, have believed this Gospel to the point where they beted their very lives on it. I can barely drag my feet and consider it a trial that someone offends me with their words...

Lord, You who knows all things, who sees all things, my precious Jesus, my only hope, You are worthy of all my loyalty and obedience. You're worthy of a wholehearted resolve not just scraps from me... Forgive me, for my stinginess, my generous Lord. I'm slow to learn and slower still to practice, but increase Your grace for me and help me see. Don't let me delude myself that I am good enough... Lord, You're worth my all. I want to make so many promises, but you know my fickle heart will stumble and be distracted by something else in a matter of minutes. But, You, recorder of my tears and prayers, record that it is not all the same to me whether You're pleased with me or not. You know all things, You know I love You, Lord. Help me...

by Cristina Pop