Advice To Those Who Are Zealous for the Conversion of Sinners
September 9
(On Not Condemning, But Having Mercy On Those Who Sin)
By Archpriest Victor Guryev
September 9
(On Not Condemning, But Having Mercy On Those Who Sin)
By Archpriest Victor Guryev
Often, brethren, in recent times I have heard from some of you these words: “Behold, you often tell us to teach our neighbors good; but what are we to do when they do not listen to us? And not only do they not listen, but they often respond with mockery and abuse. Is it possible to teach a bad person?”
Listen carefully to what I have to say to you about this.
The Lord Jesus Christ, sending the Apostles to preach, among other things, gave them this instruction: "Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves" (Matthew 10:16). This instruction applies to all of us, if we wish to convert a sinner from the error of his way. When dealing with spiritually ill people, the following are needed: caution, patience, meekness, spiritual prudence. Just as physical doctors, when they find it necessary to remove an infected limb from a patient, try in every way to first calm the sufferer, distract his attention from his wound, and only then get down to business; so a spiritual doctor, if he wishes to heal the wounds of a sinner, should never at first be a strict judge to him and a harsh denouncer of his bad deeds. Otherwise, any conversation will lead to mutual displeasure and will bring no benefit.
One day the brethren of the monastery where Saint Ammon was abbot accused a certain brother of one of the most serious sins and demanded that Ammon personally convince himself of the monk's guilt. Already certain of the sin of the accused, but at the same time understanding that meekness and compassion are the easiest ways to convert a sinner to repentance and correction, Ammon, by means of cunning, hid from the brethren the object that incriminated the monk, and, having dismissed the accusers, meekly said to the sinner: "Brother, take care of your soul!" Touched by Ammon's extraordinary condescension, the monk was touched in soul, repented with all his heart of his sin and from that time began to lead a new, pious life. Thus, meekness, mercy and indulgence are the best and most useful balm for the wounds of sin.
But it may well be that even with all this you will receive nothing else from the sinner except unpleasantness. What then? Should you be shamed here? By no means. Every harsh word or even an insult by action, endured by you for your goodness, will constitute a feat for you, and a feat in the name and for the name of Christ will never remain without a reward. Was it only for the preaching and spreading of the gospel that the Apostles were exalted by God more than other saints? No, but at the same time because during the preaching they endured mockery, abuse, imprisonment and wounds. "Blessed are you," says the Savior, "when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven" (Matt. 5:11-12).
Finally, one should not be ashamed by the fact that I wish well for a person, while my words seem to lead nowhere. A kind, saving word spoken in the name of Christ to a neighbor will never be in vain; rather, it will inevitably bear fruit, sooner or later. Can one expect that if today you were to sow rye seed in the ground, tomorrow it would grow and yield its fruits? Certainly not. So it is with your kind words. Today, let us say, a sinner did not listen to you. But it is quite possible that in a few days, or even weeks or months, he will remember your words, be moved by them, and begin to amend his life. A kind, saving word spoken with a full intention of goodwill toward a neighbor is always accompanied by the grace of God; and the grace of God possesses a power that can accomplish all that is saving and will certainly do so. Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
