“And Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed [Moses and Aaron], as the Lord said. And Pharaoh turned and went into his house. Neither was his heart moved by all [the miracles of the Lord]” (Exodus 7:22)
There are such persons who cannot be persuaded to change their attitude regardless of what is told them or shown to them. So it was with Pharaoh. He was confronted with Moses, the man of God, who performed mighty miracles to prove that God was with him, and the Lord was determined to help Moses lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Pharaoh was a classic example of a hardhearted man.
So many like Pharaoh live among us in our day, and the question arises: Why would a loving God allow the good, kind and gentle people to be forced to live among those like the terrorists, whose whole purpose in life is to make others miserable? Could a good and wise God find a way to sort out the wicked from His true followers?
St. Maximus the Confessor responds to that query. The Lord Almighty is the sun of justice. His goodness pours out as rays of light on everybody without distinction. He put a soul into every human being, and the soul goes through life developing according to the freedom of will given as a gift to us all. As we make our choices hour by hour, some will love nothing more than to know and serve the One God in Trinity. Those who love the Lord and make it known to Him have souls like wax. Their hearts are gentle and tender. They feel the sorrows of others, and do what they are able to assuage their sufferings. They weep easily, either in outward tears, or with an inner anguish for all who are treated badly, rudely or harshly. They feel for animals, and shower affection on all living things. They go through life not using more than they require of the things of the earth, leaving enough for others to share. It’s their nature. They would be surprised to be complimented for doing what comes naturally to them.
Others love material goods. They enjoy spending, lavishing themselves with all the goods of the world. They wear the title of consumer with pride. They never have enough of anything, and as soon as they make a purchase they question whether their acquisition is worthy of them, or might they have done better? St. Maximus explains that it’s their nature. They love matter, which is basically clay or mud. And it has its effect on their hearts. Just as the softhearted develop souls that are like wax, ever softening as they age, so the ones who by nature worship the earth and material things, their minds set far from God, their hearts are hardened like mud. They use every opportunity to advance their own cause, just like Pharaoh. It’s not possible to impress on such hearts the likeness of the Lord. Yet every soul that loves God opens itself to the way of the Lord. God the Creator can continue the process of creating His likeness, molding and shaping the soul that responds to light and warmth with a welcoming pliability.
And which do you think is more lovely—the materialist or the Spirit-filled one? The latter lets the Lord do the makeover. Rather than use the mirror to determine what is beautiful, she gives herself over to the Lord. Here I am; do with me as You will, for You know better than I what I should look like, and what I shall become. Dress me and prepare me for whatever awaits me in Your Kingdom, Lord, and I shall be satisfied with the results.