Humility will protect our hearts from the accusations of the world
2 min • Digitized on June 28, 2022
From Imitation of Christ, in file "Imitation of Christ", page 256
By Thomas a Kempis
Chap. XLVI.—Of having confidence in God, when words arise against us.
Son, stand firm, and trust in me; for what are words but words? they fly through the air, but hurt not a stone.
If thou art guilty, think that thou wilt willingly amend thyself.
If thy conscience accuse thee not, think that thou wilt willingly suffer this for God’s sake.
It is a small matter that thou shouldst sometimes bear with words, if thou hast not as yet the courage to endure hard stripes.
And why do such small things go to thy heart; but because thou art yet carnal, and regardest man more than thou oughtest?
For because thou art afraid of being despised, thou art not willing to be reprehended for thy faults, and seekest to shelter thyself in excuses.
2. But look better into thyself, and thou shalt find that the world is still living in thee, and a vain desire of pleasing men:
For when thou art unwilling to be humbled and confounded for thy defects, it is plain indeed that thou art not truly humble, nor truly dead to the world, nor the world crucitied to thee.
But give ear to my word, and thou shalt not value ten thousand words of men.
Behold, if all should be said against thee, which the malice of men can invent, what hurt could it do thee, if thou wouldst let it pass, and make no reckoning of it? Could it even so much as pluck one hair away from thee?