Spiritual Corner -- Bearing With the Faults of Others

Those things which a man cannot amend in himself or in others, he ought to bear patiently, until God shall otherwise ordain. You should consider that perhaps it is a better way to try out your patience, without which our merits are but little worth. Nevertheless you should, when you find such impediments, beseech God that He would vouchsafe to sustain you, that you would be able to bear them with a good will.

If one who is once or twice admonished refuses to listen, do not strive with him, but commit all to God, that His will may be done and His honour be shown in His servants, for He knows well how to convert the evil into good. Endeavour to be patient in bearing with other men's faults and infirmities whatsoever they may be, for you yourself also have many things which need be tolerated by others. If you cannot amend your own faults, how can you fashion another person to your own liking? We are ready to see others made perfect, and yet we do not amend our own shortcomings.

We want others to be strictly corrected, but we do not want to be corrected ourselves. We do not like to see how other people get what they wish for, but we are dissatisfied that our own wishes shall be denied us. We desire rules to be made restraining others, but by no means will we allow ourselves to be restrained. Thus, it is plain to see how seldom we weigh our neighbour in the same balance with our-selves. If all men were perfect, what then should we have to suffer from others for God?

But now God has thus ordained, that we may learn to bear one another's burdens, because none is without defect, none without a burden, none sufficient of himself, none wise enough of himself; but we are expected to bear with one another, to comfort one another, to help, instruct, admonish one another. How much strength each man has is best proved by occasions of adversity: for such occasions do not make a man frail, but show of what temper he is.

Yours,
Fr. John Wang
Excerpted from The Imitation of Christ, Book 1, Chapter 16