"We are fools for Christ's sake": why does the world hate the humble?
Why are saints first persecuted and slandered, and then canonized? Reflections punditon the nature of humility, pride, and the aggression of "armchair pundits" in the light of the teachings of the Apostle Paul.
"We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are honored, but we are despised… When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment" (1 Cor. 4: 10–16).
New tradition: from slander to canonization
Many of the saints, especially those who have been canonized recently, were first subjected to persecution and slandered by their own brethren, and only then canonized. It seems that a new tradition has emerged. This was the case with Joseph the Hesychast, Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia, Sophrony of Essex, Nektarios of Aegina, and others.
Today, when the internet has entered every home, we see how many "armchair pundits" discuss things they have no understanding of. Sharikovs are at the forefront among both secular and church activists. In knowledge of dogmatics, politics, and international relations, they have no equals. They are loud and quarrelsome. They know exactly who among the modern ascetics is in delusion and who is not. They clearly define where the «true» Orthodox are and where they are not. On social networks, under fictitious names, they not only teach and rebuke.
Sharikovs are rude, curse, do evil, and generally behave as if God is a blind, deaf, mute, and completely helpless old man who sees nothing, knows nothing, and is capable of nothing.
Many times I have encountered such commentators and realized that they need to be either ignored or deleted without any attempts at reasoning.
A word addressed to them only fuels their aggression and thirst for argument. It is about such people that the Savior said: "You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of" (Matt. 12: 34). The apostle tells them: "Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart" (1 Cor. 4: 5). These are the words we hear on this Sunday (1 Cor. 4: 9–16). The Apostle Paul speaks to those who considered themselves "wise" and the apostles "fools".
The situation has not changed from apostolic times to our days. The «fools», despised by people, those who were a disgrace to the world, later turn out to be saints, while the "glorious" and "wise" go into eternal life with nothing.
The power of humility and the weakness of pride
Why couldn't the world crush the righteous, who were mocked earlier and are slandered now? Because humility is fundamentally invincible. It does not fight against people or external circumstances of life. Pride fights with pride until death. And the Lord loves the meek and humble, making them wise and residents of the Kingdom of Heaven. He Himself is always meek and humble and expects the same from us.
The proud fight against worldly temptations and storms. But for the humble, trials are the gates through which they enter heavenly joy.
We want to humble ourselves just a little and then go back to living as before. But that’s impossible. Salvation requires a lifetime of effort — you can’t order it online with home delivery. The main crossroads that determines a person’s entire future is the choice between mammon and salvation.
Sharikovs rush through life like a squirrel in a wheel. They are always running somewhere, hurrying, rushing, constantly proving something to someone, exposing someone, arguing with someone. A humble person is quiet, peaceful, and calm, living with complete trust in God. He does not allow his heart to be carried away by external deceptive impressions. A man of God loves silence, while a worldly person loves to talk. Because the tongue is the organ of the egotist, while the heart of the humble is the organ of silence. The hidden person of the heart is born in silence for the Kingdom of God, being transformed in the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God (1 Pet. 3: 4).
No matter what role you play on the outside, no matter how smart you sound or what you say, deep down you always remain who you truly are at your core. And your destiny depends on that essence. You can't hide your true nature behind a mask or empty words. Sometimes it shines through your face and eyes; other times it’s buried so deep it’s invisible. Often, we ourselves don’t know who we really are. And some don’t even want to know — it’s easier that way, living under the assumption that you're always right by default.
The choice betwee fand spirit
To comprehend your essence, you need to become spirit, not flesh. What could be simpler?
The world persistently imposes its flesh on us, making us not spiritual but carnal. God humbly offers us Himself so that we become spiritual.
Our heart leans toward God, while the body is drawn to lust. The whole universe holds its breath, watching what choice we will make. The fate of the country, the people, the whole world depends on this choice. In fact, the country is protected by morality and faith in God, not by rulers and the army. But who is able to hear this and who cares?
Sharikovs believe not in God but in themselves. That is why they are so aggressive. Egoism is inherently aggressive because it is the god of the earthly kingdom, ruling, dividing, and exalting itself over others. The Heavenly Father is always loving and with great tenderness caring for everything that has life and breath. This is the main difference between God's people and the fanatics of the world. The former look at the world with the eyes of love, while the latter with the eyes of judgment.
It’s no surprise that as soon as a person’s spiritual life reaches fullness, envy and slander follow close behind.
Slander is something every righteous person must go through. It preceded the crucifixion of Christ and was its cause.
The world rises up against the holy person and persecutes them, even through the hands of those who, it would seem, should be on their side.
Peace cannot be found outside; it can only be found within, in one's own spirit, which is always peaceful and calm. Restlessness also lives not outside but within us. The mind generates not only restlessness but also creates all those relationships that we define for ourselves as the earthly world. Freedom from the world and the mind can be acquired only if we leave them to God, exchanging restlessness for freedom in truth.
The mind deceives us from school days, asserting that the world and we are matter. And God, if He exists, lives outside this material world. Some believers still think so. Praying to a distant God, they live in the hope that the power of their thoughts, passing through clouds and other heavenly realms, reaches the Creator of the world, who hears their sighs and requests.
But God is closer to us than we can imagine. All that exists has its origins in the spirit. Our very matter is just a form of existence of energy, which in its essence is again spiritual. Therefore, both matter and our body are also spiritual, no matter how much our mind convinces us otherwise.
The egoist living inside the mind teaches us that humility is a shameful weakness, and that "goodness must come with fists, goodness must be harsh, so that tufts of fur fly off everyone who tries to take advantage of it..." (S. Kunyaev).
So it turns out that the old man protects himself, and the humble is protected by God. A godly person protects themselves and others with love, because God is always near, guarding the humble with His boundless power.
