Dietrich Bonhoeffer Quotes

Compassionate listening is to help the other side suffer less. If we realize that other people are the same people as we are, we are no longer angry at them.

I have made a ceaseless effort not to ridicule, not to bewail, not to scorn human actions, but to understand them.

Never laugh at those who suffer; suffer sometimes those who laugh.

The opposite of anger is not calmness, its empathy.

Instead of condemning people, let's try to understand them. Let's try to figure out why they do what they do. That's a lot more profitable and intriguing than criticism; and it breeds sympathy, tolerance and kindness.

I've become more empathetic, and my capacity to understand and be patient - to give people a break - has enlarged over the years.

And he never judges someone else's suffering.

As Christians we need to be patient, understanding, and kind. Instead of going on the attack, we can ask genuine questions. Instead of bristling when our narrative is summarily dismissed, we can carefully explain our way of seeing things. And when we are wrong, we won't be afraid to say so.

Deliberately seek opportunities for kindness, sympathy, and patience.

Every man should keep a fair-sized cemetery in which to bury the faults of his friends.

When we believe the best of people, we let go of each thing they do that is hurtful to us. And we choose to think things like, 'I don't believe they meant to hurt me.' 'Maybe they're having a bad day or don't feel well.' 'They probably don't even realize how they sound.'

I try to be a nice person, but it's difficult sometimes.

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.

I think compassion is an important quality in people in general.

Acceptance and tolerance and forgiveness, those are life-altering lessons.

When people need love and understanding and support the most is when they deserve it the least.

Hush! Check those words. Do not cure ill with ill and make your pain still heavier than it is.

Great allowances ought to be made for the petulance of persons laboring under ill-health.

Always keep an open mind and a compassionate heart.

Make no judgements where you have no compassion.

Compassion is a two way street.

My desire is to be a forgiving, non-judgmental person.

Compassion is not a popular virtue. Very often when I talk to religious people, and mention how important it is that compassion is the key, that it's the sine-qua-non of religion, people look kind of balked, and stubborn sometimes, as much to say, what's the point of having religion if you can't disapprove of other people?

Compassion has enemies, and those enemies are things like pity, moral outrage, fear.

Sympathy is something that shouldn't be bestowed upon the Yankees. Apparently it angers them.