Imitation of Christ by Thomas A. Kempis
Those things that a man cannot amend in himself or in others, he ought to suffer, patiently, until God orders them otherwise.
Endeavor to be patient with the defects and infirmities of others, of what sort so ever they be: for that thyself also has many failings which must be borne with by others.
If thou canst not make thyself such an one as though wouldest, how canst thou expect to have another in all things to thy liking?
We would willingly have others perfect, and yet we amend no our own faults.
We will have others severely corrected, and will not be corrected ourselves.
The large liberty of others displease us; and yet we will not have our own desires denied us.
We will have others kept under strict laws; but in no sort will ourselves be restrained.
And thus it appeareth, how seldom we weigh our neighbor in the same balance with ourselves.
If all men were perfect, what should we have to suffer of our neighbor for the sake of God.
But now God hath thus ordered it, that we may learn to bear one another’s burdens; for no man is without fault; no man hath his burden; no man is sufficient of himself; but we ought to bear with one another, help, instruct, and admonish one another.
Occasions of adversity best discover how great virtue or strength each one hath.
For occasions do not make a man frail, but they show what he is.
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