Be very careful, then, how you live–not as unwise but as wise. Ephesians 5:15
These excerpts come from his “General reminders for Christian living in every state of life.”
“The principle thing we must acquire and have is the grace of God, without which one cannot live in a Christian way. For this it will help to have the fear of God, which is the beginning of our salvation and every good, guarding ourselves against anything which would offend His most pure eyes. Therefore always have God before your eyes, in whose sight you stand and who always sees you…
Have your eye continually on the providence of God, thinking that nothing comes about without His will and that good is drawn out of everything. Make diligent effort for self-knowledge, for the knowledge of your own lowliness, baseness, and misery, fleeing vanities and one’s own reputation…Take care to be grateful to God for His many benefits, recognizing them, thanking Him, and living well in order to show your gratitude.
Do not be concerned about pleasing men, provided you are pleasing to God, and always be looking out for what will be to His greater glory and service. Await the reward for your every effort from Christ and not from the world…Know and recall that there is no greater wealth and treasure, nothing more excellent and fruitful, than to love God and serve Him, and that everything else passes like smoke and shadow.”
Charles Borromeo (1538-1584) in “Making the World Holy” in Charles Borromeo: Selected Orations, Homilies and Writings (London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2017) 167-168. Borromeo was bishop of Milan in the difficult days of the sixteenth century.
No wonder Borromeo was a unifying reformer in century when God’s Church fractured! Follow his thinking with me: We must have the grace of God. We respond with the fear of God. Our focus is on the providence of God, which helps us put ourselves in the right perspective and leads to be grateful to God. We show our gratitude by living well. Rather than treasuring wealth, we realize nothing is greater or more fruitful than to love and serve God. It’s great advice. The result is a generous life!
This perspective leads a person to grasp true riches. If you want to read more on this topic, check out a blog I wrote for the Ministry Fundraising Network called, True Riches.