1 Maccabees 2:27-33: a reflection

27Mattathias cried out in the city with a loud voice, saying, “Whoever is zealous for the law and maintains the covenant, let him follow me!” 28He and his sons fled into the mountains, and left all that they had in the city. 29Then many who sought justice and judgment went down into the wilderness to live there— 30they, their children, their wives, and their livestock—because evils were multiplied upon them. 31It was told to the king’s officers and the forces that were in Jerusalem, the city of David, that certain men who had broken the king’s commandment had gone down into the secret places in the wilderness; 32and many pursued after them, and having overtaken them, they encamped against them and set the battle in array against them on the Sabbath day. 33They said to them, “Enough of this! Come out and do according to the word of the king, and you will all live!”

When the pressure to abandon the faith reaches its height, Mattathias raises a cry: Whoever is zealous for the law and maintains the covenant, let him follow me. And he and his sons flee into the mountains, leaving all that they had in the city; others who sought to remain faithful join them in the wilderness, abandoning their possessions rather than forsake the covenant. They were willing to give up everything they had, home and goods and comfort, rather than compromise their faithfulness to God.

Notice the cost these faithful ones were willing to bear rather than compromise. They left all that they had, their homes, their possessions, their comfort, fleeing to the wilderness; they gave up everything rather than abandon the covenant. Their commitment to God was not a matter of convenience, held only so long as it cost nothing; it was wholehearted, willing to lose all rather than compromise. When faithfulness and their possessions came into conflict, they chose faithfulness, and let the possessions go. Their commitment to God was worth more to them than all they owned.

That uncompromising commitment is worth taking to heart, for our own faithfulness can be tested by what it costs. There may come times when remaining faithful to God costs us something we value, our comfort, our standing, our possessions, our ease; and we can be tempted to compromise rather than pay the cost. But Mattathias and those with him gave up everything rather than compromise their faithfulness. When faithfulness to God costs you something, do not compromise to keep it; be willing, like those who followed Mattathias, to let go of what you must rather than forsake your faithfulness to God. Hold your commitment to God above your comfort and possessions, willing to pay the cost of faithfulness rather than compromise, as those who followed Mattathias left all they had rather than abandon the covenant, counting faithfulness to God worth more than everything they owned.

Lord, when the pressure to abandon the faith reached its height, Mattathias raised a cry: whoever is zealous for the law and maintains the covenant, let him follow me. And he and his sons fled into the mountains, leaving all that they had; others who sought to remain faithful joined them, abandoning their possessions rather than forsake the covenant. They were willing to give up everything, home and goods and comfort, rather than compromise their faithfulness to you. Show me the cost these faithful ones were willing to bear rather than compromise. They left all that they had, fleeing to the wilderness; they gave up everything rather than abandon the covenant. Their commitment to you was not a matter of convenience, held only so long as it cost nothing; it was wholehearted, willing to lose all rather than compromise. Their commitment to you was worth more to them than all they owned. Take that uncompromising commitment to my heart, for my own faithfulness can be tested by what it costs. There may come times when remaining faithful to you costs me something I value, my comfort, my standing, my ease; and I can be tempted to compromise rather than pay the cost. But Mattathias and those with him gave up everything rather than compromise. When faithfulness to you costs me something, keep me from compromising to keep it; help me be willing, like those who followed Mattathias, to let go of what I must rather than forsake my faithfulness to you. Help me hold my commitment to you above my comfort and possessions, Lord.