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[Bartholomew]

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No Particular Subject

I was hard pressed to think of a suitable subject for this week’s sermon so I figured that perhaps I’d just jot down some of the random thoughts I had given consideration as a subject.
The first was how does one be a good friend. I found this one particularly difficult to expound upon. Obviously, a good friend is one that is there when things are at their worst and not just when things are rosy. A good friend is one that tells you the honest truth but in such a way that it is acceptable and minimizes the abrasive nature of any truth that is damning. A good friend gives you what you need and expect rather than what they feel they wish to give. They listen when you need an ear and toil when a strong back is needed. They face adversity with the same gusto they show when celebrating good times. Needless to say, good friends are a treasure.
Another subject I considered was how could one tell whom they can trust with sensitive secrets or in rough times. Obviously, at the top of this list would be those who are good friends. Beyond that, one must rely on reputations and previous experience. One would not trust anyone who has shown to be one of deceit. Further, you would not trust those lacking compassion or honor. Remembering that in some way when you trust somebody with a treasure or insight or other personal items, you have committed yourself to a form of sacrifice. You have given the entrusted person with an item of power over you, which will allow them to compromise your standing and respect within your community. This returns us to only placing such trust in a good and trusted friend.
Lastly, I gave thought to how you pick those with whom to adventure, especially on a hunt into areas known to be fraught with great dangers to adventurers’ very lives. Of course you would consider their ability at combat with special consideration of their experience and prowess against that which you will be facing. Further, you need to consider how well those considered work in a group as five people fighting as valiant solo warriors are no match for five people working as a team combining their talents for mutual gain. Of course their reputed honor and valor are important, but equally or more so is their willingness for sacrifice, compassion, and humility. Their willingness for potential sacrifice may allow greater gains than if they acted selfishly thus damaging the fabric of the team. Their compassion would be an asset that would encourage their willingness to make the sacrifice when the need should arise. Lastly, their humility would work as encouragement to all that the efforts were a true accomplishment of all in the team. Having one claiming that their exalted abilities carried the weaker members of the party lessens the efforts of those who are still attempting to master their arts of combat.
So, what is the one unifying concept behind these three similar but separate subjects? I know what you are all thinking; he’s going to give credit to the Virtues again. Well, I would not wish to let anybody down, but yes, that is exactly what my point was to be. Each of these instances are places where a person of Virtue would be preferred over those found lacking in the Virtues. This is why the Virtues can be so beneficial and why a community steeped in the Virtues is a preferred society. The Virtues are often the measure of one’s character and of the soul of the community.
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Bartholomew; Celebrant of Virtue {HCV}