I appreciate the (updated) saying by Ian Maclaren, “Be kind for everyone is fighting a hard battle.” In my own selfishness and ego I often unconsciously see others through the lens of “Are they helpful or hurtful?” If you are speeding in traffic and cut in front of me–hurtful, well, annoying. If you are the librarian who takes an extra minute to find a book for me–helpful.
But it is, of course, so much more complicated than that. We are saints and sinners. Everyone. The lesson for me is to let the small issues slide, because no one gets through this life without significant struggle.
If you are interested, here is the full context of the quote, which is equally powerful.
“This man beside us also has a hard fight with an unfavouring world, with strong temptations, with doubts and fears, with wounds of the past which have skinned over, but which smart when they are touched. It is a fact, however surprising. And when this occurs to us we are moved to deal kindly with him, to bid him be of good cheer, to let him understand that we are also fighting a battle; we are bound not to irritate him, nor press hardly upon him nor help his lower self.” See quote investigator to learn more.
Ryan Alaniz, PhD 