Against the vain judgment of men (pt. 2)

…and the unjust response of the judged.

“Who art thou that fearest a mortal man? Today he is, and tomorrow he is no more seen. Fear God, and thou shalt not need to fear the terrors of men.  What harm can the words or injuries of any man do to thee? He hurteth himself rather than thee, nor can he avoid the judgment of God whoever he may be.” 

              -- Thomas a Kempis “Against the Vain Judgment of Men” in “The Imitation of Christ”

The more I think about the judgment of others, the more I recognize the injustice of my response. Why do I give so much credence to the words of human individuals when there is an abundance of praise to be found in the scriptures meant for me to internalize?

My heart’s condition is not the responsibility of any other individual. My heart is my own charge.  The damage done to me by thoughtless words of others is in reality damage done to myself by carelessly handling my heart.  Who but God could handle my heart with the perfect balance of tenderness and instruction?

Tomorrow, I will begin with a rant about physical image. :) You probably won’t want to miss it.

P.S. Click here to see what this is all about.