FIRST keep
peace with yourself; then you will be able to bring peace to others. A peaceful man does more good than a
learned man. Whereas a
passionate man turns even good to
evil and is quick to believe evil, the peaceful man, being good himself, turns all things to good.
The man who is at perfect ease is never
suspicious, but the disturbed and
discontented spirit is upset by many a suspicion. He neither rests himself nor permits others to do so. He often says what ought not to be said and leaves undone what ought to be done. He is
concerned with the duties of others but neglects his own.
Direct your
zeal, therefore, first upon yourself; then you may with
justice exercise it upon those about you. You are well versed in
coloring your own actions with
excuses which you will not accept from others, though it would be more just to accuse yourself and excuse your
brother. If you wish men to bear with you, you must bear with them. Behold, how far you are from true
charity and
humility which does not know how to be angry with anyone, or to be indignant save only against self!
It is no great thing to associate with the good and gentle, for such association is naturally
pleasing. Everyone enjoys a peaceful life and prefers persons of
congenial habits. But to be able to live at peace with
harsh and
perverse men, or with the
undisciplined and those who irritate us, is a great grace, a praiseworthy and
manly thing.
Some people live at peace with themselves and with their fellow men, but others are never at peace with themselves nor do they bring it to anyone else. These latter are a
burden to everyone, but they are more of a burden to themselves. A few, finally, live at peace with themselves and try to restore it to others.
Now, all our peace in this
miserable life is found in humbly enduring suffering rather than in being free from it. He who knows best how to suffer will enjoy the greater peace, because he is the
conqueror of himself, the master of the world, a friend of
Christ, and an heir of
heaven.
From "The Imitation of Christ" by Thomas A Kempis