On Bearing with the Defects of Others...

Taken from : The Imitation of Christ , Book 1, Chapter 16, pg. 36-38


There will always be defects in ourselves or others in which we cannot correct. These we must simply tolerate until God in His goodness sees fit to change things. After all, this may be the best possible way to prove our patience, without which our good qualities are not worth much.

Nevertheless, you must pray earnestly that God in His mercy will help you to bear these impediments with patience.

2. If once or twice you have warned someone and that person does not comply, do not contend further with such a one, but leave all in the hands of God, that His will be done and that He be glorified in all His servants, for He knows well how to turn evil into good.

Learn how to be patient in enduring the faults of others, remembering that you yourself have many which others have put up with. If you cannot make yourself be what you would like, how can you expect others to be as you would like? We wish to see perfection in others, but do not correct our own faults.

3.We want to have others strictly reprimanded for their offenses, but we will not be reprimanded ourselves. We are inclined to think the other person has too much liberty, we ourselves will not put up with any restraint. There must be rules for everyone else, but we must be given free rein. It is seldom that we consider our neighbor equally with ourselves.

If everyone was perfect, what would we have to endure for the love of God?

4. God wills us to learn to bear one another's burdens. No one is without faults, no one without a cross, no one self-sufficient and no one wise enough all alone. Therefore, we must support, comfort and assist one another, instructing and admonishing one another in all charity.

Adversity is the best test of virtue. The occasions of sin do not weaken anyone; on the contrary, they show the person's true worth.


Some advice from St. Therese:

To remain little is to recognize our nothingness. To expect everything from the good God and not to be too much afflicted about our faults, for little children
fall often but are too small to hurt themselves.

Christ's Peace be with you!
~Erin