Francis de Sales Quotes

Only the gentle are ever really strong.

The greatest firmness is the greatest mercy.

Only the weak are cruel. Gentleness can only be expected from the strong.

It takes strength to be kind; it's not a weakness.

Have charity; have patience; have mercy. Never bring a human being, however silly, ignorant, or weak--above all, any little child--to shame and confusion of face. Never by petulance, by suspicion, by ridicule, even by selfish and silly haste--never, above all, by indulging in the devilish pleasure of a sneer--crush what is finest and rouse up what is coarsest in the heart of any fellow-creature.

I learned that it is the weak who are cruel, and that gentleness is to be expected only from the strong.

One of the greatest indicators of our own spiritual maturity is revealed in how we respond to the weaknesses, the inexperience, and the potentially offensive actions of others.

There is nothing stronger in the world than gentleness.

Humility is attentive patience.

Strength and compassion are not mutually exclusive.

The offender needs pity, not wrath; those who must needs be corrected, should be treated with tact and gentleness; and one must be always ready to learn better. 'The best kind of revenge is, not to become like unto them.'

Compassion and tolerance are not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength.

What the world most needs today are negative virtues - not minding people, not being huffy, touchy, irritable or revengeful.

Patience and gentleness is power.

One should be gentle with the ignorant, for they are the chosen of God.

How gentle and tender ought we to be with others who are foolish when we remember how foolish we are ourselves

It requires more strength to be gentle, so it's the everyday encounters of life that I think we've prepared children for and prepared them to be good to other people and to consider other people.

The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.

The wise man... if he would live at peace with others, he will bear and forbear.

We shall show mercy, but we shall not ask for it.

I'll tell you what I did need to learn was tolerance, and I think I've been actually given a daily opportunity to practice that, and it's - it's - and I know that that sounds almost like a backhanded slap, and it is in a way because I haven't been successful at it every day.

I don't want to be all power and muscle.

It doesn't do any good to argue. Be kind.

Before the tongue can speak, it must have lost the power to wound.

The super power that I would choose would be compassion. Because that's what I think it takes to make it through life-an understanding, a give and take. It saves an awful lot of resentment.