“If any one tells you that such a person speaks ill of you, do not make excuses about what is said of you, but answer: “He was ignorant of my other faults, else he would not have mentioned these alone.”
— Epictetus.
(Thank you, Nicola Gibson. This quote lines up with something else God just put before my eyes!)
THIS:
“You have not yet acquired perfect love if your regard for people is still swayed by their character.”
— St. Maximus the Confessor
Somehow the two of these bring to mind…..
Matthew 7:3-5
“3 Why do you see the splinter that’s in your brother’s or sister’s eye, but don’t notice the log in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother or sister, ‘Let me take the splinter out of your eye,’ when there’s a log in your eye? 5 You deceive yourself! First take the log out of your eye, and then you’ll see clearly to take the splinter out of your brother’s or sister’s eye.”
This is something God has had me swimming in for the past week….. judgment of others, response to others judgment of me….. in regard to a specific situation and some deep soulwork He has been doing in this Advent and Christmastide season. Clearly, God is not going to allow me to slough it off…..
It’s very deep and murky water…..not easily avoided at certain depth of soulwork.