1 Maccabees 13:17-24: a reflection

17Simon knew that they spoke to him deceitfully, but he sent to get the money and the children, lest perhaps he would arouse great hostility among the people, 18who might say, “Because I didn’t send him the money and the children, he perished.” 19So he sent the children and the hundred talents, but Tryphon lied, and didn’t release Jonathan. 20After this, Tryphon came to invade the land and destroy it, and he went around by the way that leads to Adora. Simon and his army marched near him to every place, wherever he went. 21Now the people of the citadel sent to Tryphon ambassadors, urging him to come to them through the wilderness, and to send them food. 22So Tryphon prepared all his cavalry to come, but on that night a very heavy snow fell, and he didn’t come because of the snow. He marched off and went into the land of Gilead. 23When he came near to Bascama, he killed Jonathan, and he was buried there. 24Then Tryphon turned back, and went away into his own land.

Simon is in an impossible spot. Tryphon holds his brother Jonathan hostage and demands money and Jonathan's sons in exchange for his release. Simon knows Tryphon is lying, that he probably will not release Jonathan no matter what. And yet he sends the money and the children anyway, because, he reasons, if he refuses and Jonathan dies, the people will blame him for it. He does the right and responsible thing, even knowing it may be futile.

Notice the integrity in that. Simon is not naive; he sees the deceit clearly. But he chooses to act rightly regardless, to do what a good brother and leader should do, rather than let suspicion of the outcome excuse him from doing right. He would rather do the honorable thing and have it fail than refuse and give people cause to blame him. And, as it turns out, Tryphon does betray him and kills Jonathan anyway. Simon's right action did not guarantee a good result.

There is a hard, mature wisdom here. Sometimes we must do the right thing even when we suspect it will not be rewarded, even when the other party is untrustworthy and the outcome may be bad. We are responsible for acting rightly; we are not in control of the result. Do the honorable thing, not because it guarantees success, but because it is right, and leave the outcome, as Simon finally had to, in God's hands. Notice, too, that when Tryphon then moved to attack, a heavy snow stopped him. The outcomes belong to God.

Lord, sometimes I must do the right thing even suspecting it will not be honored, even when others are untrustworthy and the result may be bad. Help me act rightly regardless, responsible for my own integrity, and leave the outcomes I cannot control in your hands.