The Household of God
Volume 2
Rise and spiritual prime of the first world empire Hanoch
- Chapter 144 -
ENOCH JUSTIFIES THE TROUBLESOME OFFICE OF A TEACHER AND PROPHET
After pondering a short while Enoch said to Abedam: "Brother, you are by no means in the wrong; but I for my part reckon that what matters here in this world is not the ease that should be, or is, connected with one or the other office, but alone the Lord's will and the true humility of our hearts.
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"For, although it is true that a teacher and a prophet are more respected rather than loved, it is on the other hand again true that by this very fact they are kept more than anyone else within the bounds of humility.
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"For this is certainly true that, basically, love is a highest degree of respect for that which one loves, and the so-called respect for the office is merely a spark of the same.
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"For what man truly loves, for that he goes even into the fire; but what he only respects as an office, behind that he seeks refuge should some danger threaten.
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"So I for one reckon: If the holy, most loving Father had wanted us to live only at ease, He in His almightiness need only have transformed us all into animals, and with one stroke our most perfect ease would have been ensured. However, He, the highest and most perfect Love and Wisdom, has a higher plan for us - as He Himself has shown us all - than merely that of silent ease.
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This is why He proclaimed to us His will and has to each given the office of love, but to the lesser ones as well a little office of wisdom.
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"If as such we could not expect so much love from our brothers and sisters as there is amongst them, this is not exactly to our detriment; for in that case we have the best opportunity to love and thus respect them more than they do us, - and this is surely also the Lord's will.
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"What is better, to make happy or to be made happy - that is, to give or to take?
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"So I think again that it depends only on us how we approach the matter in our hearts - either out of pure love for our brothers before God or out of judgmental coercion which had once been the share of all of us '-, and we all can then be fully assured that He, the immensely good Father, did not lay a metal yoke on the necks of us, His little children!
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"So let us remain with a most grateful and humble heart that to which He has called us. For we can all be sure that He, the purest Love and supreme Wisdom, did not thus appoint us for perdition, but only for the eternal welfare of all our fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters; therefore, to Him alone all love, all praise and all glory from us all!
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"Look, brothers, this is my opinion. However, since this is the day of dispute and so far no arguer has appeared, you may well argue with me; for I do not mean to be an infallible high priest, but I want to compare a brother's every word with mine, - except the Lord's Spirit were to speak out of me against which our words would of course be nothing but an empty bawl. So you may object if you can, for these were only my own words."
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At this speech by Enoch, Abedam was quite baffled; then he embraced Enoch and finally said: "Yes, yes, dear brother, you alone are perfectly right. The Lord is completely with you; whereas I am always ignorant to the core. Oh, how I could tear myself apart out of sheer anger at my obdurate foolishness!
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"Will it never completely dawn in my heart? - Only this tell me now, dear brother!
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"No, no, it is incomprehensible how calmly I have formerly revealed my ignorance - trying as it were to drag you down to my foolishness and instruct you!
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"Oh - oh - great simpleton that I am! I - to give a lesson to Enoch! - Brother, forgive me, a poor, silly simpleton!
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"Remember that I talked exactly as I understood it."
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And Enoch answered him: "O brother, set your mind at rest. Also your word has a good foundation, - and mine has grown out of it; therefore, it will also remain, like mine, preserved to the end of time. So set your mind at rest; for also teachers and prophets find love, provided they are after the will of God, the Father. - Do you understand this?"