Shortcomings and qualities
Must be placed in the service of a high ideal
March 22nd 2014
Qualities are preferable to shortcomings, and virtues to vices, as everyone will agree. And yet the truth is that qualities and virtues do not have absolute value in themselves. Many people possess great qualities, but what do they do with them? Nothing, or not much. Whereas others who have serious shortcomings and are aware of them suffer and want to improve, and so, by working on themselves every day, they become magnificent beings, capable of achieving great things. If they did not have these shortcomings, they might not make any effort; they would leave themselves be.
So you should try to look further and not judge people for what they are right now. This is what heaven does. Heaven is not interested in what we are; it considers only what we try to achieve with what we have – and with what we don’t have! The only thing that matters to heaven is the work we do to place our shortcomings, like our qualities, in the service of a high ideal.