How seldom we weigh our neighbor in the same balance with ourselves.
Thomas A KempisRead
Without the way, there is no going; without the truth, there is no knowing; without the life, there is no living.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the interconnectedness of way, truth, and life as essential components of existence and understanding.
Thomas A Kempis suggests that in order to navigate life effectively, one must adhere to a guiding path (the way), grasp the essence of reality (the truth), and embrace the vitality of existence (life). Each element supports the others, indicating that one cannot truly experience life without the others' influence and balance.
In practice
In a motivational speech about personal growth, you could quote this to highlight the importance of knowing one's path.
How seldom we weigh our neighbor in the same balance with ourselves.
He will easily be content and at peace, whose conscience is pure.
Trust not to your feelings for whatever they might be now, they will quickly be changed towards some other thing.
Jesus has many who love the kingdom of God, but few who bear a cross. He has many who desire His comfort, but few who desire His suffering. All want to rejoice with him, but few are willing to suffer for Him. He writes; there are many who admire his miracles, but there are few who follow in the humiliation of the cross.
Anyone who thinks hard work will never hurt you has never had to pay to have it done. Jesus now has many lovers of his Heavenly Kingdom, but few bearers of his cross.
He has great tranquillity of heart who cares neither for the praises nor the fault-finding of men. He will easily be content and pacified, whose conscience is pure. You are not holier if you are praised, nor the more worthless if you are found fault with. What you are, that you are; neither by word can you be made greater than what you are in the sight of God.
I have watched them all day and they are the same men that we are. I believe that I could walk up to the mill and knock on the door and I would be welcome except that they have orders to challenge all travelers and ask to see their papers. It is only orders that come between us. Those men are not fascists. I call them so, but they are not. They are poor men as we are. They should never be fighting against us and I do not like to think of the killing.
The future remains uncertain and so it should, for it is the canvas upon which we paint our desires. Thus always the human condition faces a beautifully empty canvas. We possess only this moment in which to dedicate ourselves continuously to the sacred presence which we share and create.
The probability of apocalypse soon cannot be realistically estimated, but it is surely too high for any sane person to contemplate with equanimity.
Some people, and I am one of them, hate happy ends. We feel cheated. Harm is the norm.
Charity is that with which no man is lost, and without which no man is saved.
The ultimate decision about what is accepted as right and wrong will be made not by individual human wisdom but by the disappearance of the groups that have adhered to the "wrong" beliefs.
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