1 Maccabees 14:44-49: a reflection

44and that it should not be lawful for any of the people or of the priests to nullify any of these things, or to oppose the words that he should speak, or to gather an assembly in the country without him, or to be clothed in purple, or wear a buckle of gold; 45but whoever should do otherwise, or nullify any of these things, he will be liable to punishment.’” 46All the people consented to ordain for Simon that he should do according to these words. 47So Simon accepted this, and consented to be high priest, and to be captain and governor of the Jews and of the priests, and to be protector of all. 48They commanded to put this writing on tablets of brass, and to set them up within the precinct of the sanctuary in a conspicuous place, 49and moreover to put copies of them in the treasury, so that Simon and his sons might have them.

When the people confirm Simon in his leadership, they do something to make the commitment lasting and public: they command that the decree be written on tablets of brass and set up within the sanctuary in a conspicuous place, and copies kept in the treasury. The commitment was not left to memory or verbal agreement, which fade and are disputed; it was made public and permanent, inscribed in brass, set where all could see, so that it would hold and be kept. They made the commitment lasting by recording it publicly and permanently.

Notice how the people made their commitment last: by recording it publicly and permanently. A commitment left only to memory or spoken word can fade, be forgotten, or disputed; but this one was inscribed in brass, set up conspicuously, copies kept, so that it would endure and be honored. They gave their commitment a public, permanent form, so that it would hold. The recording of it in a lasting, visible way helped ensure that the commitment would be kept, not forgotten or evaded. Public and permanent, it was made to last.

That is worth taking to heart, for our own important commitments are more likely to hold when we make them definite and lasting rather than vague. We can make commitments loosely, in passing, leaving them vague and unrecorded, easy to forget or evade; but a commitment made definite, public, and lasting is more likely to be kept. When you make an important commitment, do not leave it vague and easily forgotten; give it a definite, lasting form, as the people inscribed their commitment in brass, so that it will hold. Make your important commitments definite and lasting rather than vague and passing, that they may be kept and not forgotten or evaded, as the people recorded their commitment publicly and permanently so that it would endure; a commitment given lasting form is more likely to be honored than one left vague and unrecorded.

Lord, when the people confirm Simon in his leadership, they do something to make the commitment lasting and public: they command that the decree be written on tablets of brass and set up within the sanctuary in a conspicuous place, and copies kept in the treasury. The commitment was not left to memory or verbal agreement, which fade; it was made public and permanent, inscribed in brass, so that it would hold and be kept. Show me how the people made their commitment last: by recording it publicly and permanently. A commitment left only to memory can fade, be forgotten, or disputed; but this one was inscribed in brass, set up conspicuously, so that it would endure. They gave their commitment a public, permanent form. The recording of it in a lasting way helped ensure it would be kept. Take that to my heart, for my own important commitments are more likely to hold when I make them definite and lasting rather than vague. I can make commitments loosely, in passing, leaving them vague and unrecorded, easy to forget or evade; but a commitment made definite and lasting is more likely to be kept. When I make an important commitment, keep me from leaving it vague and easily forgotten; help me give it a definite, lasting form, Lord, so that it will hold. Help me make my important commitments definite and lasting rather than vague and passing, that they may be kept.