Greater Works

Εἰ λόγοις ἐτρώθης, καὶ πρὸς ὀργὴν ἄσχετον ἐξηνέχθης, πῶς δύνασαι τοῦ Δεσποτικοῦ ἐργάτης γενέσθαι ἀμπελῶνος; τὸν γὰρ τὴν μίαν σιαγόνα παιόμενον, καὶ τὴν ἑτέραν προστιθέναι δυνάμενον, ἐλεῖνον εἶναι ὁριζεται, τὸν τὸ βάρος τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ τὸν καύσωνα φέροντα, ὡς πᾶσαν ἐργασίαν τῆς ἐντολῆς τοῦ Κυρίου πληρώσεντα. Εἰ οὖν ὀρέγῃ τῶν μεγάλων μισθῶν ἐκείνων, πρὸς τοὺς ἤττονας πόνους μὴ ἄλυε, ἀλλὰ στέργειν τοὺς μείζονας ἔθιζε, ὡς οὐκ ἄλλως δηνάριον κομιούμενος, εἰ μὴ κόπων τελειότητι μαρτυρούμενος. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλιον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ϟΗ' Φροντινῳ Μονακῳ

If you are hurt by words and erupt with impotent anger, how will you be able to be a useful worker in the vineyard of the Lord? For he who suffers one blow on the cheek and the other is able to offer, he is chosen to bear the weight of the day and the heat, so that every work of the commandments of the Lord be fulfilled. If then you desire that great reward, be done with lesser works and exert yourself to greater cares, for you will not receive any pay if you do not bear witness to your toil to perfection. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 98, To Phrontinos the Monk