Admonition XII: Knowing the Spirit of the Lord
When we do some good deed we are tempted to feel pleased, even wanting what we have done to be recognized and praised by others. Francis says that such a thought does not come from the Spirit of God. It has already been mentioned in these articles that Francis was aware that we are able to do good only by the power of the Spirit acting in us. But what we do of ourselves without the Spirit is a product of a sinful nature that 'is always opposed to every good'. Francis draws two conclusions from this. He says first that a servant of God does not boast when the Lord performs some good through the servant. The glory belongs to God and to the grace of God. But he concludes further that this servant will regard him or herself as worthless and esteem him or herself less than all others. The reason for this is that the servant believes that had anyone else received as much grace as the servant that person would have done more good than the servant. For this reason the servant esteems him or herself as the least. St Francis lived this out in his life. In his Major Legend of Saint Francis, Saint Bonaventure says that Francis tried to hide in his heart the good things of the Lord, not wanting to display his own glory. When others praised him, Bonaventure relates how Francis would say to himself: 'Francis, if the Most High had given so much to a thief, he would be more grateful than you!' Francis says: 'A servant can be known to have the Spirit of the Lord in this way'.
