18:15–17 A Word Is Better Than a Gift
We Can Always Be Merciful. Dorotheus of Gaza: No one can say, “I am
poor, I do not have any way to show mercy.” If you cannot give like those who
are rich who throw their offering into the treasury box, then give two mites
like the poor widow and God will consider this a greater gift than the offerings
of the rich. You do not have that much? But you do still have power to be
merciful, and with this you can exercise mercy in the service of those who are
sick. Can you not do even this? But you can console your brother with words.
Therefore be merciful with him by your words, and listen to him who says, “A
word is better than a gift.” Suppose you cannot exercise mercy with words;
still if your brother is mad at you, you can have mercy on him and support him
in the midst of his turmoil, seeing that he is being mistreated by a common
enemy, and instead of responding with a sharp word and getting him
even more upset, keep silent and have mercy on him and his soul, stealing it
from the enemy. Even if your brother turns against you, you still can have
mercy on him and forgive his sin against you in order also to receive
forgiveness from God. God, in fact, has said, “Forgive and you will be
forgiven,” and thus you will have been found providing mercy for the soul of
your brother by pardoning his sins against you. Spiritual Instructions 14.158.
Give a Word of Consolation. John Chrysostom: When, because of
hunger, one is constrained to beg and because of his begging he is compelled to
act shamefully, and then because of acting shamefully he endures reproach—then
the weight of despondency becomes rather complex and is accompanied by a darkness
that settles on the soul. The one who takes care of such people should do so in
a way that is long-suffering, rather than in a way that will only increase
their despondency with further irritations. But he should also mitigate the
majority of his already despondent nature with encouragement. For just as the
one who has been insulted, even though he may be enjoying great abundance does
not feel the advantage of his wealth because of the blow that he has received
from the insult, in the same way, one who has been addressed with kind words
and for whom the gift has been accompanied with encouragement, exults and
rejoices all the more. That which he has been given is doubled in value because
of the way in which it was offered. On the Priesthood 3.306–7. (Apocrypha, ed. Sever J. Voicu [Ancient
Christian Commentary on Scripture; Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP, 2010], 264-65)
