gathering from the best flowers

St John Cassian gives us some really good advice today in A Year with the Church Fathers. He says that when we're looking for virtue, we should find people who exemplify those virtues and learn from them. But, he says, don't look for ALL of the virtues in any one person. Because God gifts each of us different gifts.

That's illuminating, isn't it? Because first of all, it means that we shouldn't expect anyone to be perfect. Our parents will teach us SOME good things, but not every good thing. Our pastor will teach us other virtues. Each person we meet has some strength that we can learn from (for the most part). But we need to give everyone some grace, too, because we all have weaknesses.

It also means that we shouldn't expect OURSELVES to be perfect. We have strengths, which He has given us. But we have weaknesses too. And that's OK. He can use both our strengths AND our weaknesses for His glory.

God, thanks for teaching us to search out virtues in different people, and give everyone some grace in not being perfect.