Ignatius of Antioch: The same salve does not heal all wounds

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:32-36

“Speak to each man individually, following God’s example; bear the infirmities of all, like a perfect athlete of God. The greater the toil, the richer the reward. If you love only your good disciples, you gain no merit, rather you must win over the more troublesome of them by kindness. The same salve does not heal all wounds…Do not be overwhelmed by those who seem trustworthy and yet teach heresy. Remain firm, like the anvil under the hammer. The good athlete must take punishment in order to win. And above all, we must bear with everything for God, so that He in turn may bear with us.”

Ignatius of Antioch (d. 108) in Polycarp as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 504.

This wisdom is sweeter than honey and more precious than gold.

“Speak to each man individually.”

What great advice! Generosity toward people is treating them individually. And this does not just pertain to those we love, but it means we show kindness to even the most troublesome.

“Bear the infirmities of all.”

Our most generous witness comes into view as not as solving people’s problems but helping them bear them. This includes people undeserving of our care. Remember Jesus says when we care for such people we are “children of the Most High.”

“The same salve does not heal all wounds.”

Imagine have different salves up your sleeve to meet the unique needs of others. That’s a beautiful picture of generosity. And if it stopped there it’d be great advice from this “apostolic father” and martyr from the early church.

“Remain firm, like the anvil under the hammer.”

So, what do you do when people around you are difficult and even spreading the wrong message. You stand strong. You take a beating and keep on going.

“We must bear with everything for God, so that He in turn may bear with us.”

Wow! What a humbling ending. Lest we get prideful for our service and sharing, our generosity and caring, he reminds us that we bear with everything for God so He will bear with us. Amen.

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. Galatians 5:13

“Our service to mankind must be given freely. One who is in such a position must be subject to everyone and serve his brothers as if he were paying off a debt. Moreover, those who are in charge should work harder than the others and conduct themselves with greater submission than their own subjects. Their lives should serve as a visible example of what service means, and they should remember that those who are committed to their trust are held in trust from God.”

Gregory of Nyssa (c.335-c.395) in Letter 2> as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 500.

Gregory helps us see that the trajectory of generous Christian service is opposite from the world in at least three ways.

Firstly, our generous service is given freely. When Jesus sent the first disciples on mission, He proclaimed, “Freely you received, freely give” (Matthew 10:5-8). We get to do the same thing.

Secondly, our service equates with paying off a debt. Paul describes this debt as owing a “debt to love one another” (Romans 13:8). And we can always be generous too because we never run out of love.

Thirdly, our service grows rather shrinks. Remember, Jesus said “the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves” (Luke 22:26)

So, while the world might charge, might act entitled to receive rather than give, and seek to serve less, we get to “work harder” with “greater submission” just like our Lord Jesus Christ.

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. Psalm 1:3

“Dearly beloved, I rejoice in your faith, in the salvation that comes from faith, in your good works, which are not confined to your own surroundings but spread far and wide. Like a farmer tending a sound tree, untouched by ax or fire because of its fruit, I want not only to serve you in the body, good people that you are, but also to give my life for your well-being.”

Eusebius of Vercelli (283-371) in Letter 2> as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 499.

If you have not downloaded my recent ebook, Flourish, co-authored with my wife Jenni Hoag, and Linda Maris, of NCF Wisconsin, click here to get your free digital copy.

And consider the picture of the sound tree. It means that it the tree is reliable and effective. Do those adjectives describe you? Is your tree dependable at bearing fruit?

If not, I offer you the same thing Eusebius offered those he served in Sardinia as a bishop. He offered himself as an offering for their well-being. So here’s how this relates to you.

I love doing fresh research daily. Send me your questions, your challenges, your difficult stewardship verses, and I will do research and make posts that aim to bless you and contribute to your well-being.

I would find no greater joy that to help you grow in the faith and good works to become a sound tree. And I don’t have all this figured out. But I am eager to learn. With you.

This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 1 Corinthians 4:1-2

“Our Lord Jesus Christ has appointed certain men to be guides and teachers of the world and stewards of His divine mysteries… Accordingly, in affirming that they are sent by him just as he was sent by the Father, Christ sums up in a few words the approach they themselves should take to their ministry. From what he said, they would gather that it was their vocation to call sinners to repentance, to heal those who were sick whether in body or spirit, to seek in all their dealings never to do their own will but the will of Him who sent them, and as far as possible to save the world by their teaching.”

Cyril of Alexandria (376-444) in his work entitled John as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 499.

This is a post for all the teachers out there. Do fresh research as a faithful steward of His divine mysteries. This work for you as a guide and teacher may transform you and provide the new insights you need for serving others.

That was my experience in real time. I teach today in the International Consultation on Accountability Integration for Organizational Flourishing. If you want a copy of my paper, “Peer Accountability: A Biblical Analysis,” let me know.

If you want to attend the consultation from 2-5 May 2023 to view it live or get access to all the papers and more from guides and teachers from 11 countries, register here.

Whether or not you join 188+ Christian workers from 33+ countries or not, hear this. Generosity happens when we do deep study, learn new biblical insights, and share them to help people live differently and honor God.

If you are a teacher, double down. Make it your aim to be found faithful as a steward of the mysteries of God. Don’t study to gain just knowledge either. Knowledge puffs up but love builds up.

Study to gain knowledge to build others up as a guide or teacher for God’s glory.

Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29

“How the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and this weakness stronger than men! In what way is it stronger? It made its way through the world and overcame all men; countless men sought to eradicate the very name of [Christ] crucified, but that name flourished and grew even mightier. Its enemies lost out and perished…”

John Chrysostom (347-407) in 1 Corinthians 4 as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 225.

The foolishness of God is not only wiser and stronger than any human thinking. Following them is the only way to flourish. Speaking of flourishing….

If you want a copy of my most recent book, Flourish, co-authored with my wife, Jenni Hoag, and my good friend, Linda Maris, click here. And if you know anyone who speaks Spanish or Ukrainian, stay tuned as it will be freely available in those languages shortly.

But, at this point you may be asking what this has to do with generosity. Honestly, everything!

The teachings of Jesus on money make no absolutely sense in this world. Just like the message of the crucifixion and resurrection, it requires a person to have faith to believe. You don’t figure them out until you live them out.

So, if you want to lose out and perish, follow the world’s way of thinking about life and money. But if you want to overcome the world and experience flourishing, live out the foolishness of God, starting today.

Father in heaven, we want to flourish as a testimony to the truth of the gospel. Help us obey even your most hard teachings in order to witness to your faithfulness. Make it so by your Spirit we ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove your evil deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do good; seek justice; rescue the oppressed; defend the orphan; plead for the widow. Isaiah 1:16-17

“Wash yourself clean, so that you may hold a richer store of grace. Sins are forgiven equally for all, but communion in the Holy Spirit is given in the measure of each one’s faith. If you have done little work, you will receive little; if you have achieved a great deal, great will be your reward.”

Cyril of Jerusalem (313-386) in Catechetical 1 as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 330.

This is a powerful idea from Cyril today.

Everyone’s sins are forgiven equally, but we only commune with the Spirit to the extent that we live out our faith by doing good work with God. And it’s something Isaiah tells us that we learn.

We learn to “do good, seek justice; rescue the oppressed; defend the orphan; plead for the widow.” We discover in the process of doing these things that we find joy, satisfaction, and best of all, communion with the Spirit.

People often ask me how to hear God’s voice. Here’s my answer.

Learn to do the good God put you on earth to do. And I don’t mean the easy stuff. I mean the messy stuff of which Isaiah speaks: “do good, seek justice; rescue the oppressed; defend the orphan; plead for the widow.”

Three things will happen. I mean this, so listen closely.

Firstly, you will see the face of Jesus in those you serve. You will find Him in the hungry and needy person. In the least likely person, you will experience Him.

Secondly, you will hear the Spirit speaking to you, leading you, guiding you. You will pray without ceasing, asking, “What do I do?” And in response, the Spirit will show you, “This is the path, walk ye in it.”

Thirdly, you will experience the providence of the Father. You will have great needs, and in His time and way, He will supply. The process will stretch and grow your faith, but that’s how the father grows His children.

Praying for a richer store of grace for all who read this.

You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached—how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him. Acts 10:37-38

“This was the method that Jesus used with the apostles. He put up with their ignorance and roughness and even their infidelity. He treated sinners with a kindness and affection that caused some to be shocked, others to be scandalized, and still others to hope for God’s mercy.”

John Bosco (1815-1888) in his Letter 4 as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 553.

Jesus had a generous method as he went about doing good that we do well to follow.

Firstly, Bosco says, he put up with ignorance, roughness, and infidelity. While we can be quick to give up on people or write them off, that’s precisely the opposite of how Jesus has treated each of us.

Secondly, he treated sinners with kindness and affection. In a word, he showed love to the undeserving which shocked, scandalized and struck many to humble themselves and hope for mercy.

As I sat outside yesterday afternoon and looked to the mountains from our little deck (pictured above). I pondered and thought, “I need help from the Lord to live out this generous method. We all do.”

Father in heaven, thanks for you kindness to us through Jesus Christ our Lord. Help us by your Holy Spirit to put up with the ignorant, rough, and unreliable while showing kindness and love to all. Hear our prayer in your mercy. Amen.

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

“I attended to you with loving care. Out of provident concern I handed over my only-begotten Son to make satisfaction for your needs. I demanded supreme obedience from Him so that the human race might be freed of the poison which had infected the entire earth because of Adam’s disobedience. With eager love He submitted to a shameful death on the cross and by that death He gave you life, not merely human but divine.”

Catherine of Siena (1347-1380) in her Dialogue as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 294.

As we aim at Christlikeness in the days after Easter living the resurrected life, let us follow the example of Christ as described today by Catherine of Siena and extend provident care and eager love toward others.

Provident care is supplying what people need, whether they deserve it or not. It may not necessarily be what they want, but it should flow from what we have toward others like it flowed from God through Christ to us.

And eager love should go with it. Eager to do what is good. Willing to sacrifice like God gave us Christ and like Christ embraced the shameful death on a cross. Let us be eager to show others the love we have received.

God help us in life after Easter to follow your example and extend provident care and eager love toward others like you first showed to us through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

When [Jesus] was at the table with them, He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him, and He disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when He broke the bread. Luke 24:30-35

“Beloved, the days which passed between the Lord’s resurrection and His ascension were by no means uneventful; during them great sacramental mysteries were confirmed, great truths revealed.

In those days the fear of death with all its horrors was taken away, and the immortality of both body and soul affirmed. It was then that the Lord breathed on all His apostles and filled them with the Holy Spirit; and after giving the keys of the kingdom to blessed Peter, who he had chosen and set above all the others, He entrusted Him with the care of His flock.

During these days the Lord joined two of His disciples as their companion on the road, and by chiding them for their timidity and hesitant fears, he swept away all the clouds of our uncertainty. . .

And as they shared their meal with Him, their eyes were opened in the breaking of bread, opened far more happily to the sight of their own glorified humanity than were the eyes of our first parents with the shame of their sin.

Throughout the whole period between the resurrection and the ascension, God’s providence was at work to instill this one lesson in the hearts of the disciples, to set this one truth before their eyes, that our Lord Jesus Christ, who was truly born, truly suffered and truly died, should be recognized as truly risen from the dead.”

Leo the Great (c. 400-461) in his Ascension 1 as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 313-314.

Speaking at the NCF Wisconsin conference went great yesterday in Milwaukee.

Many expressed that the teaching was eye-opening. It was cool. God brought together the remarks of the speakers and worked powerfully. It was like an Emmaus Road experience for many. Praise God.

Thanks for praying for us too. We flew safely home last night. It’s good to be home after 7 flights in 8 days.

The context for today’s Scripture is the window of time between the resurrection and the ascension. It recounts the happenings after the first Easter. And it’s where we find ourselves today.

What struck me from this reading is that it echoes what we experienced yesterday: “God’s providence was at work.”

His providence worked in the days between the resurrection and the ascension (back then and now) pointing everyone to the Lord Jesus Christ who was born, suffered, died, and rose again.

But many people don’t recognize Jesus today. Jesus did not draw attention to Himself.

We only see His providence at work when we look for Him. The text says they only recognized Him when they broke the bread. The same holds true today. As we enjoy sweet fellowship with Jesus, we see Him and come to know Him more deeply.

And we get to tell others to trust in His providence. That’s our job.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

“The Church everywhere flourishes through the glorious deeds of the holy martyrs…Do you think martyrs could have been victorious, unless he was victorious in the martyrs who said: Rejoice, for I have overcome the world? The Lord of the heavens directed their minds and tongues; through them he overcame the devil on earth and crowned them as martyrs in heaven. Blessed are those who have drunk of this cup!”

Augustine of Hippo (354-430) in his Sermon 329 as recounted Milton Walsh in Witness of the Saints: Patristic Readings in the Liturgy of the Hours (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012) 610-611.

Today, my latest book, Flourish, co-authored with Jenni Hoag and Linda Maris releases in Wisconsin at the Fueled to Flourish event hosted by NCF Wisconsin. When we follow God’s design for life and living we flourish.

And flourishing is more than just bearing fruit, sometimes it requires us to endure drought or welcome pruning. But through the process of growth, we learn things. And, in the process, we gain a testimony.

As Augustine notes, “the Church flourishes through the glorious deeds of the holy martyrs.” This does not just point to famous people who die for their faith. It references the deeds of people like you and me who out the faith.

The word, martyr, means witness. We witness to the truth of the gospel as we live out the faith. When we endure suffering or welcome pruning, we testify to the fact that the Lord we serve has overcome the world.

And when we continue to do glorious deeds, we overcome the evil in the world. What glorious deeds does God have for you today? Are you willing to drink the cup of martyrdom? To live out the faith regardless of the cost.

I want to thank Jenni and Linda for the privilege of working on this book together. We started it in 2020. It got tabled through Covid, and finally released today. I will share a link for downloading it from GTP in a day or two.

For now, find peace in knowing that our Lord has overcome the world and get out there and do glorious deeds. In so doing you will bear witness to the gospel. And your perseverance contributes to the flourishing of the Church.