"Guard against all pride, vanity, envy, avarice, the cares and worries of this world, detraction and complaining. And if you do not have book-learning, do not be eager to acquire it, but pursue instead what you should desire above all else, namely, to have the Spirit of the Lord and his grace working in you, to pray always with purity of heart and to have humility, patience in persecution and in infirmity, and to love those who persecute and rebuke you and slander you, because the Lord says, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Mt 5:44) "Blessed are those who are persecuted in the cause of uprightness: the kingdom of Heaven is theirs" (Mt 5:10) "Anyone who stands firm to the end will be saved" (Mt 10:22)" --St. Francis, Rule of 1233, Chapter XSt. Francis' admonition not to seek out book-learning was no doubt based on experience. Having come from an affluent family he was well educated and knew the perils it presented in living a life of humility. I know a child who asked Jesus into his heart at age 10. The next year in school he stood up for his belief in creation vs. evolution in science class and was ridiculed for it by his peers. At that tender age his very social survival depended on his falling into step with his peers. The more educated he became the more his mind overrode his heart and child-like faith. I do not think he's ever recovered that first tenderness of heart that led him to ask Christ into his life.
