Friday, June 01, 2007

More Nuggets From Thomas

My most excellent small group gave me a book that included The Imitation of Christ for my birthday. I first read it some seven years ago and am really enjoying going through it again. Here are a few nuggets that really jumped out to me so far:

"If you know the whole Bible by heart, and the sayings of all the philosophers, what would all that profit you without the love of God, and without his grace?"

"Vanity it is, to wish to live long, and to be careless to live well."

"Who has a harder struggle than he that labors to conquer himself?"

"Be not proud of good works; for the judgments of God are different from the judgments of men and that often offends him which pleases men. If there be any good in you, believe better of others, that so you may preserve humility."

"It is no small matter to dwell in religious communities or in a congregation, to converse therein without complaint, and to persevere therein faithfully unto death. Blessed is he that has there lived well, and ended happily."

"No man safely speaks but he that willingly holds his peace. No man safely rules but he that is willingly in subjection. No man safely commands, but he that has learned well to obey. No man safely rejoices unless he has within himself the witness of a good conscience."

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