Love sinners, but hate their works; and do not despise them for their faults, lest you be tempted by the same.
—St. Isaac the Syrian
Category: JUDGMENT
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“We usually criticize others when we’ve ceased to control ourselves.”
— Saint Theophan the Recluse -
Saints of God, he says, may be found sitting in the theatres, apparently looking on at the performance, while their hearts are holding intercourse with God (XV. 8, cp. XXIX. 1). It is part of Christian perfection to pass no judgment upon those who remain in the world, not even upon those whose lives are notoriously bad (XVIII. 8, cp. XLII.)
Fifty Spiritual Homilies of Saint Macarius the Egyptian
Introduction
A.J. MASON, D.D. -
We have to realize the importance of the time in which we are living, so that we do not waste days and years, and have to submits ourselves to grace and truth, until we have removed all the obstacles of growth, because the time of visitation will end and the door will be shut, and we will suddenly find ourselves before the judgment. Time for each person is the present moment, because he cannot ensure the next moment; therefore, Paul the Apostle says, “And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep.” (Romans 13:11)
—H.E. Metropolitan Youssef, How to Develop Your Personality
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But like our tribal ancestors, modern society needs wildcards and weirdos too. Humanity needs some source of innovation in order to take a gamble just as much as we need the stability that runs our everyday lives.
Maybe the hypersensitive anxiety that gives panic attacks to the girl at your office is the same hypersensitive anxiety that will inspire her to write a brilliant novel or poem.
Maybe the psychopathic asshole CEO of your company is good at making business decisions precisely because he’s a psychopathic asshole. He only sees the numbers, not people. And strangely, you all benefit financially from his lack of empathy.
Maybe that autistic kid in your calc class will go on to produce major advances in quantum physics and win a Nobel prize one day. So stop stealing his lunch money, asshole.