Perseverance and Character Growth

Sirach--Chapter 2

This is one of my favourite readings from the Septuagint, written circa 190 B.C. With much sobriety and seasoned by his life experience, Sirach helps us see how suffering leads to: a) character growth, b) trust in God, and c) experiencing God's consistent goodness throughout our life span. These truths are a core part of what helps us develop perseverance.

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Courage, and don't give up!

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My child, if you are going to serve the Lord, be prepared for times when you will be put to the test. 2 Be sincere and determined. Keep calm when trouble comes. 3 Stay with the Lord; never abandon him, and you will be prosperous at the end of your days. 4 Accept whatever happens to you. Even if you suffer humiliation, be patient.

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5 Gold is tested by fire, and human character is tested in the furnace of humiliation. 6 Trust the Lord, and he will help you. Walk straight in his ways, and put your hope in him.

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7 All you that fear the Lord, wait for him to show you his mercy. Do not turn away from him, or you will fall. 8 All you that fear the Lord, trust him, and you will certainly be rewarded. 9 All you that fear the Lord, look forward to his blessings of mercy and eternal happiness.

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10 Think back to the ancient generations and consider this: has the Lord ever disappointed anyone who put his hope in him? Has the Lord ever abandoned anyone who held him in constant reverence? Has the Lord ever ignored anyone who prayed to him? 11 The Lord is kind and merciful; he forgives our sins and keeps us safe in time of trouble. 12 But those who lose their nerve are doomed—all those sinners who try to have it both ways! 13 Doom is sure to come for those who lose their courage; they have no faith, and so they will have no protection. 14 Doom is sure to come for those who lose their hope. What will they do when the Lord comes to judge them?

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15 Those who fear the Lord do not disobey his commands; those who love him will live as he wants them to live. 16 Those who fear and love the Lord will try to please him and devote themselves to the Law. 17 Those who fear the Lord are always ready to serve him. They humble themselves before him, and say, 18 “We place our destiny in the hands of the Lord, not in human hands, because his mercy is as great as his majesty.”

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Reflection and Discussion

Well, what do you think?

What makes the most sense to you and how does it practically apply to your life?

Team Life and Team Resiliency

During the months of February and March we are exploring team life and team resiliency. We will add some core thoughts taken from various sources.

Let’s begin this month with some thoughts on friendship, with applications to team life. Here is an excerpt from the Book of Sirach in the Septuagint, circa 190 BC. It reflects “classic wisdom” on the nature of friendship. Sometimes folks say this is too pessimistic. Others think it is a sobering appraisal of reality. What do you think, and how does it relate to team life for you?

Note: You can access all 51 chapters of Sirach (also known as Ecclesiasticus) at www.ccel.org/wwsb/Sirach/index.html This site also has links to different translations of Sirach. Chapter 12:8ff has some additional gems on friendship (e.g. In prosperity you cannot tell who is your friend, but in adversity you cannot mistake an enemy.).
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Friendship--Sirach 6: 5-17

5 If you are polite and courteous, you will enjoy the friendship of many people. 6 Exchange greetings with many, but take advice from only one person out of a thousand.

7 When you make friends, don't be too quick to trust them; make sure that they have proved themselves. 8 Some people will be your friends only when it is convenient for them, but they won't stand by you in trouble. 9 Others will fall out with you over some argument, and then embarrass you by letting everyone know about it. 10–11 Others will sit at your table as long as things are going well; they will stick to you like your shadow and give orders to your servants, but they will not stand by you in trouble. 12 If your situation takes a turn for the worse, they will turn against you, and you won't be able to find them anywhere. 13 Stay away from your enemies and be on guard against your friends.

14 A loyal friend is like a safe shelter; find one, and you have found a treasure. 15 Nothing else is as valuable; there is no way of putting a price on it. 16 A loyal friend is like a medicine that keeps you in good health. Only those who fear the Lord can find such a friend. 17 A person who fears the Lord can make real friendships, because he will treat his friends as he does himself.

Some questions to consider:

• How does this advice on friendship reflect the way you interact with others?
• How might your team/group be different if it followed Sirach’s advice?
• With whom are you a "true friend"? How do you know?
• Is Sirach’s advice/caution the de facto approach for most cultures in the world?

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