Tobit 1:1-14: a reflection

1The book of the words of Tobit, the son of Tobiel, the son of Ananiel, the son of Aduel, the son of Gabael, of the seed of Asiel, of the tribe of Naphtali; 2who in the days of Enemessar king of the Assyrians was carried away captive out of Thisbe, which is on the right hand of Kedesh Naphtali in Galilee above Asher. 3I, Tobit walked in the ways of truth and righteousness all the days of my life, and I did many alms deeds to my kindred and my nation, who went with me into the land of the Assyrians, to Nineveh. 4When I was in my own country, in the land of Israel, while I was yet young, all the tribe of Naphtali my father fell away from the house of Jerusalem, which was chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, that all the tribes should sacrifice there, and the temple of the habitation of the Most High was hallowed and built therein for all ages. 5All the tribes which fell away together sacrificed to the heifer Baal, and so did the house of Naphtali my father. 6I alone went often to Jerusalem at the feasts, as it has been ordained to all Israel by an everlasting decree, having the first fruits and the tenths of my increase, and that which was first shorn; and I gave them at the altar to the priests the sons of Aaron. 7I gave a tenth part of all my increase to the sons of Levi, who ministered at Jerusalem. A second tenth part I sold away, and went, and spent it each year at Jerusalem. 8A third tenth I gave to them to whom it was appropriate, as Deborah my father’s mother had commanded me, because I was left an orphan by my father. 9When I became a man, I took as wife Anna of the seed of our own family. With her, I became the father of Tobias. 10When I was carried away captive to Nineveh, all my kindred and my relatives ate of the bread of the Gentiles; 11but I kept myself from eating, 12because I remembered God with all my soul. 13So the Most High gave me grace and favor in the sight of Enemessar, and I was his purchasing agent. 14And I went into Media, and left ten talents of silver in trust with Gabael, the brother of Gabrias, at Rages of Media.

Tobit begins his story by recalling his own faithfulness, and a striking detail stands out: when his whole tribe fell away from the true worship of God at Jerusalem, sacrificing instead to idols, Tobit alone continued faithful. I alone went often to Jerusalem, he says, keeping the feasts, giving his tithes, worshiping the true God. And even in exile, when all his kindred ate the food of the Gentiles, he kept himself, because he remembered God with all his soul. Tobit stood faithful when all around him did not.

Notice Tobit's faithfulness when he stood alone. His whole tribe fell away, abandoning true worship for idols; and Tobit alone remained faithful, continuing to worship the true God when everyone around him had turned aside. He did not follow the crowd into unfaithfulness, but stood alone in his devotion, keeping himself for God even when he was the only one, and even in exile, when it would have been easy to go along with the rest. His faithfulness did not depend on others; he stood alone when he had to.

That faithfulness, standing alone when others fall away, is worth aspiring to. It is easy to be faithful when everyone around us is; but when those around us fall away, abandon their devotion, or turn aside, the pressure to follow the crowd is strong, and standing alone in faithfulness is hard. But Tobit stood alone, keeping faithful when his whole tribe did not. When those around you fall away from God, or you find yourself the only one seeking to be faithful, do not follow the crowd into unfaithfulness; stand alone, if you must, as Tobit stood, keeping faithful even when you are the only one. Your faithfulness need not depend on others being faithful; be willing to stand alone in devotion to God, as Tobit stood when his whole tribe fell away, keeping yourself for God even when no one around you does, and remembering God with all your soul even in exile.

Lord, Tobit begins his story by recalling his faithfulness: when his whole tribe fell away from true worship, sacrificing to idols, he alone continued faithful, going often to Jerusalem, keeping the feasts, and even in exile keeping himself from the food of the Gentiles, because he remembered you with all his soul. Show me his faithfulness when he stood alone. His whole tribe fell away; and he alone remained faithful, not following the crowd into unfaithfulness, but standing alone in his devotion, even in exile. His faithfulness did not depend on others. Let me aspire to that faithfulness, standing alone when others fall away. It is easy to be faithful when everyone around me is; but when those around me fall away, abandon their devotion, or turn aside, the pressure to follow the crowd is strong, and standing alone in faithfulness is hard. But Tobit stood alone. When those around me fall away from you, or I find myself the only one seeking to be faithful, keep me from following the crowd into unfaithfulness; help me stand alone, if I must, as Tobit stood, keeping faithful even when I am the only one. My faithfulness need not depend on others being faithful; make me willing to stand alone in devotion to you, Lord, as Tobit stood when his whole tribe fell away, keeping myself for you even when no one around me does. Help me remember you with all my soul, and stand faithful even alone.