You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24
“Some follow their own ideas and choose their own techniques in prayer and meditation, or perhaps imitate what other people are doing…They still make uncharitable judgements and at the slightest provocation they lash out in hatred against their neighbor. Their peace is a fraudulent one, for by keeping their own counsel they have not arisen and God cannot therefore work in them. They have to abandon their presuppositions and arrogant ways and begin the strenuous work of self-denial, following the steps of our Lord Jesus Christ in humility and love. By dying to self they have to learn what it means to arise.
On the other hand, we encounter noble souls so steeped in truth that it shines forth in them. They permit God to prepare the ground, leaving themselves entirely to Him. By this act of self-surrender they refuse to cling to anything of their own, be it their works, their special devotions, what they undertake and what they leave aside. They accept all things from God in humble awe and refer them back to him in total detachment…How different are these people who allow God to prepare the ground. They do not take matters in to their own hands.
Yet, for all that, they, too, are prone to temptation, for no one is exempt from that. However, when tempted, through pride or carnal desire, through worldly attachments, anger, or whatever else, they immediately surrender it all to God and they allow themselves to fall into His loving arms. Such people do indeed rise up, for they go beyond themselves…Whatever God may ordain, they accept it with joy and the whole world cannot deprive them of such serenity…”
Johannes Tauler (1300-1361) in “Sermon 5: Feast of Epiphany II” in Johannes Tauler Sermons, translated by Maria Shrady (Classics of Western Spirituality; Mahwah: Paulist Press, 1985) 47-48.
Today marks 24 years of marriage for Jenni and me. It’s our anniversary. While reading Johannes Tauler yesterday, I came upon this section on two kinds of people and it seemed fitting to recount it today as the latter of the two persons reminds me of my wife. Her soul is so steeped in truth it shines forth from her.
What does this reflection on two kinds of people have to do with generosity?
There are many people today who think generosity is about doing good deeds on the outside without a heart that is characterized by detachment, humility, and love. They are imitators and, at their core, merely “old self” people as the Apostle Paul would describe them.
Alternatively, there are others who are detached from the things of this world because they are attached to God who is love. They shine because they resist the temptation to take matters into their own hands. Their trust is in God so they radiate God’s kindness and serenity wherever they go.
What kind of person are you?
If your honest answer is that you feel like more of an old self person than a new self person, Tauler would likely say die to self by identifying whatever it is you attach to other than God, and chose today instead to trust in God. The Apostle Paul called this putting on the new self, and what results is that we end up spreading true righteousness and holiness wherever we go.
May this be true of each of our lives, and that includes Jenni and me as we embark on another year of life together.