CHAPTER XXXIX LEARN TO DO LITTLE THINGS AS THOUGH THEY WERE GREAT 1. The greatest evils in life have had their rise from somewhat which was thought of too little importance to be attended to. THERE IS SMALL 2. Like flakes of snow that fall unperceived upon the earth, the seemingly unimportant events of life succeed one another. 3. As the snow gathers together, so are our habits formed. No single flake produces a sensible change; no single action creates a man's character; but, as the tempest hurls the avalanche down the mountain and overwhelms the inhabitant and his habitation, 4. So passion, acting upon the elements of mischief which habit has imperceptibly brought together, may overthrow the edifice of truth and virtue. 5. He that contemneth small things shall fall by little and little. 6. A pebble turns the streamlet, whose proud sway 7. Say not "a small event!" Why small? Than that? Untwine me, from the mass 8. He who can take no interest in what is small, will take false interest in what is great. 9. We prepare ourselves for eminent occasions more out of glory than conscience. 10. The virtue of the soul does not consist GREAT OCCASIONS ARE NOT MORALLY GREATEST in flying high, but walking orderly: its grandeur does not exercise itself in grandeur, but in mediocrity. 11. I can easily conceive Socrates in the place of Alexander, but Alexander in the place of Socrates, I cannot. 12. Great virtues are seldom needed, and when the occasion comes we are prepared for it by everything which has preceded, excited by the greatness of the sacrifice, and sustained either by the brilliancy of the action in the eyes of others, or by self-complacency in our ability to do such wonderful things. 13. Small occasions, however, are unforeseen: they recur every moment, and place us incessantly in conflict with our pride, our sloth, our self-esteem, our haughtiness, and our readiness to take offence. 14. It would please us much better to make certain great sacrifices, however violent and painful they might be, on condition of obtaining liberty to follow our own desires, and retain our old habits in all the little details of life. 15. Most people, when setting about their reformation or conversion, are much more anxious to spend their lives in doing difficult or unusual things, than to purify their intentions, and to renounce self-will in the ordinary duties of their position. 16. It is better for a man to live privately, and to take care of himself, than to neglect his soul, though he could work wonders in the world. 17. "Set me some great task, ye gods, and I will show my spirit!" Not so," says the good heaven, "plod and plow." NO DUTY IS TOO HUMBLE FOR · ANYONE 18. Whoso neglects a thing which he suspects he ought to do, because it seems to him too small a thing, is deceiving himself: it is not too little, but too great for him, that he doeth it not. 19. To be able to live peaceably with hard and perverse persons, or with the disorderly, or with such as go contrary to us, is a great grace, and a most commendable and manly thing,— 20. That best portion of a good man's life, His little nameless, unremembered acts Of kindness and of love. 21. We require higher tasks because we do not recognize the height of those we have. Trying to be kind and honest seems an affair too simple and too inconsequential for gentlemen of our heroic mould. 22. We had rather set ourselves to something arduous and conclusive; we had rather found a schism or suppress a heresy, cut off a hand or mortify an appetite. 23. The unremitting retention of simple and high sentiments in obscure duties, is hardening the character to that temper which will work with honour-if need be in the tumult, or on the scaffold. 24. And yet the strength of a man's virtue must not be measured by his extraordinary efforts, but by his ordinary life. 25. There is no greatness so real as this inward lowliness which knows its own measure; nothing so enlightened as a humble soul. TRUE AND HUMILITY 26. But beware lest pride, transforming herself into the likeness of humility, deceive and undo thee. 27. People who think much of their humility are very proud, and all such unreal stooping is a subtle search how to go up higher. 28. Humility is often a feigned submission, which we make use of to master others: it is an artifice of pride, which humbles itself to exalt itself. 29. The test of humility is the habit of performing lowly offices for their own sake. 30. He who sincerely desires to become lowly of heart, must not be ashamed of performing any outward office such as the worldly heart thinks mean and humiliating; 31. For as it is a sure token of conversion from sin that sin becomes hateful to the man, so it is a sign of true repentance to be ready in all things to take the meanest place, if so true lowliness of heart may be attained. 32. Owe not thy humility unto humiliation from adversity, but look humbly down from that state where others look up to thee. 33. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself: "God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 34. "I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess." 35. And the publican standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying: "God, be merciful to me a sinner." 36. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. 37. Oh let my weakness have an end! Give unto me, made lowly wise, The spirit of self-sacrifice. |