A while back Petra (Mama Lopez’s friend from Holland) sent us a copy of The Imitation of Christ, by Thomas a Kempis. I had heard of this book along the way somewhere, and it had always sounded like a rather difficult, deep, theological tome. Actually though, it’s not a very long book at all, with very brief chapters of one to three pages each. He has some very practical things to say about the Christian walk, especially in regards to the inner workings of our hearts.
(All that to say)
In the chapter called On Bearing With the Failings of Others, he has this to say:
” Try to be patient with the failings and weaknesses of other people, whatever they may be. You too have many faults, which others have to endure. If you cannot make yourself he kind of person you wish, how can you expect to have someone else to your liking? We want perfection in other people, and yet we do not put right our own failings. “
This struck me as very true. It is frustrating when someone expects me to be perfect; yet that is often what I expect of them. We should not be so shocked when others fail us.
” If every one were perfect, we should have nothing to bear from other people for the sake of God. “
