Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools suffers harm. Proverbs 13:20
“When a thing standeth long in salt, it is salt, and if any thing stand in a stinking place, it is made stinking. And if any thing standeth with a bold man, it is made bold; and if it stand with a fearful man, it is made fearful. And if a beast companieth with men it is made tractable and familiar. And generally it is verified of them by reasons and diverse experience, that every nature moveth to its kind.”
Albertus Magnus (1206-1280) in “The Book of Marvels of the World” by Alburtus Magnus 1.2 in The Book of Secrets of Alberts Magnus, eds. Michael Best and Frank Brightman (Boston: Weiser Books, 1999).
Meet Albertus. He was both a bishop and a professor, so he would become known as one of the 36 doctors of the church. His work, The Book of Secrets, could be described as a cross between a set of proverbs and a science textbook, so consider him a guy who grasped the spiritual and physical world.
Having just driven by the Great Salt Lake in Utah en route to locate, catch and release Humboldt Cutthroat Trout while fly fishing in Nevada, Sammy and I saw everything near the salty water was covered with salt. So when I read this excerpt I had to post it.
Albertus is basically saying that our surroundings influence us. They can cause us to stink. They can draw us toward boldness or fear. He also highly adds that animals (such as pets) can take a liking to people when they spend time with them, and then concludes by saying that every nature moveth to its kind.
So what about you? Do you stink or do you smell like the fragrant aroma of Christ? That begs this next question: With whom are you standing? Bold people who know that Christ has overcome the world, or fearful people who have not taken hold of the reality that God has not given us the spirit of fear.
Related to generosity, are you generous or stingy? Do you give your first and best or do you give your leftovers and scraps? For Albertus to conclude that “every nature moveth to its kind” we discover that we become like the people with whom we spend time. I am thankful to have spent four days with Sammy.
Like Albertus, he’s a brilliant biologist and Bible lover, who is bold and careful to spend time with roommates and friends who love Jesus and demonstrate that through their actions. He’s also an amazing fly fisherman, dog lover, and he’s generous! I also think that he and Albertus would have been good friends!