some surprising advice

St Asterius of Amasea gives us some surprising advice today in A Year with the Church Fathers. He says that if we are enamored of gold, or silver, or fine jewels... rather than envying those who have them, or stealing them, or even BUYING them, wasting money that we could be spending on other things, like feeding the hungry... he says we should go "window shopping". Go to the markets, he says, and enjoy the view of the beautiful things that you like. Enjoy the sights. Take pleasure in the things that bring you pleasure. But draw the line on this side of sin.

The advice, I think, is best considered in the big picture. It might be better to "kill" those feelings rather than indulge them. It's possible that "window shopping" will only incite the lusts and passions that tempt the shopper, and lead them into sin.

But the big picture is that Asterius is giving us very practical, down to earth advice in dealing with temptation. He realizes that we're not perfect, even if we're striving to be perfect one day. He knows that quitting "cold turkey" works for some people... but that others have to wean themselves off of the things that "so easily entangle them". His advice, while maybe not perfect, is very pastoral. It's advice that helps people to move toward being Christlike, while still remembering that they're human, and will often fail.

God, thanks for giving us advice that takes our weaknesses into account.