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The Imitation of Christ
Thomas à Kempis
The Sixteenth Chapter
BEARING WITH THE FAULTS OF OTHERS
UNTIL God ordains otherwise, a man ought to bear patiently whatever he cannot
correct in himself and in others. Consider it better thus -- perhaps to try your
patience and to test you, for without such patience and trial your merits are of
little account. Nevertheless, under such difficulties you should pray that God
will consent to help you bear them calmly.
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.
If all were perfect, what should we have to suffer from others for God's sake?
But God has so ordained, that we may learn to bear with one another's burdens,
for there is no man without fault, no man without burden, no man sufficient to
himself nor wise enough. Hence we must support one another, console one another,
mutually help, counsel, and advise, for the measure of every man's virtue is
best revealed in time of adversity -- adversity that does not weaken a man but
rather shows what he is.
