Thursday, January 21, 2010

On Putting Up With Other People's Faults


If, after being admonished once or twice, a person does not amend, do not argue with him but commit the whole matter to God that His will and honor may be furthered in all His servants, for God knows well how to turn evil to good. Try to bear patiently with the defects and infirmities of others, whatever they may be, because you also have many a fault which others must endure.

If you cannot make yourself what you would wish to be, how can you bend others to your will? We want them to be perfect, yet we do not correct our own faults. We wish them to be severely corrected, yet we will not correct ourselves. Their great liberty displeases us, yet we would not be denied what we ask. We would have them bound by laws, yet we will allow ourselves to be restrained in nothing. Hence, it is clear how seldom we think of others as we do of ourselves.
Source Chapter 16 Imitation of Christ

Isn't it just like a human being to try to change others? We try to change the annoying habits of others when if we truly looked into our souls and were more aware of our actions and words, we would see how often our habits are irritating to another person.

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