Nov 29 2006
the wise woman
"However strange it may well seem, to do one's duty will make any one conceited who only does it sometimes. Those who do it always would as soon think of being conceited of eating their dinner as of doing their duty.
What honest boy would pride himself on not picking pockets? A thief who was trying to reform would. To be conceited of doing one's duty is then a sign of how little one does it, and how little one sees what a contemptible thing it is not to do it."
~ G. MacDonald, The Wise Woman
Isn't that a great truth? I got that little nugget from Leslie. She'd posted it on a CM list some time ago, and I've been chewing on it ever since. Someday I need to actually read the whole book.
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Now why did I have to read those slowly several times so I could grasp what they meant? Ya, that’s good. I think.
Yeah, I know what you mean!
Such is often the case with me too, especially when so much is said in such few words…
I was guilty of that today, when I was proud of having got more cleaning done than usual. Now I feel chagrined.
Oh, don’t feel bad Arielle! I’m guilty of it ALOT, which is why I’ve posted it, and have been chewing on it for months now… letting it sink in, it’s so true.