The Shepherd's Balance

Καθόλου δὲ ἡμῖν ἐκεῖνο γνώριμον, ὅτι καθάπερ τοῖς ἐπὶ κάλου μετεώρου καὶ ὑψηλοῦ βαίνουσι τῇδε ἢ τῇδε ἀποκλῖναι οὐκ ἀσφαλὲς, οὐδὲ εἰς μικρὸν φέρουσα ἡ ῥοπὴ, κἂν μικρὰ φαίνηται, ἀσφάλεια δὲ αὐτοῖς ἡ ἰσοῤῥοπία καθίσταται· οὕτω κἀν τούτοις ὁποτέρωσε νεύσῃ τις, εἴτε διὰ κακίαν, εἴτε δι΄ ἀμάθειαν, κίνδυνος οὐχ ὁ τυχὼν αὐτῷ τε καὶ τοῖς ἀγομένοις τοῦ τῆς ἁμαρτίας πτώματος. Ἀλλ΄ ὁδῷ βασιλικῇ πορευτέον ὄντως, καὶ περισκεπτέον, μήτε εἰς δεξιὰ μήτε εἰς ἀριστερὰ, καθὼς αἱ Παροιμίαι φασὶν, ἐκκλίνοντας. Οὕτω μὲν δὴ τὰ τῶν παθῶν ἔχει τῶν ἡμετέρων, καὶ τοσοῦτον ἐνταῦθα τὸ ἔργον τῷ ἀγαθῷ ποιμένι, τῷ γνωστῶς γνωσομένῳ ψυχὰς ποιμνίου, καὶ ἀφηγησομένῳ κατὰ λόγον ποιμαντικῆς, τῆς γε ὀρθῆς καὶ δικαίας καὶ τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ ποιμένος ἡμῶν ἀξίας. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, Λόγος Β´ Source: Migne PG 35.441b-c

But to us it is generally well known that just as it is not safe for those who walk a tight rope on high to lean to either side, for the inclination leads to much though it seem little, so safety depends on perfect balance, and likewise it is for one of us, for if from vice or ignorance one of us leans to either side, there is in no small danger, for both himself and for those he leads, of a fall into sin. But we must truly walk in the King's highway, 1 and be careful not to turn aside to the right hand, nor to the left, 2 as Proverbs says. For as it is with our passions, so it is in this work of the good shepherd here, if he is to know well the souls of his flock and to lead them in accordance with the way of pastoral care, as is right and just, and worthy of our true Shepherd. Saint Gregory Nazianzus, from Oration 2 1 Num 20.17 2 Prov 4.27