Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/497

 severe account  of  your  stewardship. After that  moment you cannot  imitate  the  unjust  steward  any  longer,  for  of the  period  succeeding  this  moment  it  is  said,  "  the  night cometh  when  no  man  can  work." (John ix.  4.)  Do  good, therefore, whilst  you  possess  the  time. Wise and  prudent stewards  frequently  examine  their  accounts  in  order to  correct  any  error  and  be  always  prepared  to  settle their accounts. Imitate them  by  a  daily  rigorous  examination of  conscience;  for  "if  we  would  judge  ourselves, we  should  not  be  judged." (1 Cor.  xi.  31.)

III. This steward  acted  wisely  for  himself,  though  deceitfully in  relation  to  his  master,  and  Christ  commends his prudence,  though  He  condemned  his  fraudulent action. Would to  God  that  we  were  as  prudent  in  regard to  our  salvation! Lament that  "  the  children  of this  world  are  wiser  in  their  generation  than  the  children of  light." Exert yourself  for  the  salvation  of  your  own soul; for  "there  is  a  wise  man  who  is  wise  to  his  own soul." (Ecclus. xxxvii.  25.)

I. Christ  pronounces  him  to  be  a  wise  man  who  lays the foundation  of  his  house  on  a  firm  rock  (Matt,  vii.); for it  will  firmly  resist  the  storms,  the  floods,  and  the tempests. In our  regard,  this  rock  is  Christ;  the  storms, the floods,  and  the  tempests  are  the  temptations  by  which we are  assailed. He builds  his  house  on  a  rock  who grounds his  life  and  actions  on  the  example  of  Christ and motives  drawn  from  eternity,  and  by  that  means overcomes all  temptations. "God is  in  the  midst thereof;  it  shall  not  be  moved." (Ps. xlv.  6.)