--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you hear that your neighbor or…" description: "\"When you hear that your neighbor or friend has reproached you in your absence or presence, then show love and praise him.\" — John Climacus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/john-climacus-11711_absence_when-you-hear-that-your-neighbor-or-frie_2941369.jpg" --- # When you hear that your neighbor or friend has reproached… ![“When you hear that your neighbor or friend has reproached you in your absence or presence, then show love and praise him.” quote by John Climacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/john-climacus-11711_absence_when-you-hear-that-your-neighbor-or-frie_2941369.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/john-climacus-11711_absence_when-you-hear-that-your-neighbor-or-frie_2941369.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/john-climacus-11711_absence_when-you-hear-that-your-neighbor-or-frie_2941369.jpg) > “When you hear that your neighbor or friend has reproached you in your absence or presence, then show love and praise him.” [John Climacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-climacus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When criticized, respond with love and praise rather than retaliation. **In simple terms:** Answer criticism with love. Key Takeaway Choose kindness over conflict. Themes compassion forgiveness humility Mood reflective calm Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - personal conflict - workplace criticism - family disputes Key Concepts Christian mysticism ethical response Questions to Reflect On - How can you practice love when feeling hurt? - What does praise achieve in tension? A Different Perspective Kindness may be seen as weakness by some. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absence/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Neighbor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighbor/) [Orthodox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/orthodox/) [Praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praise/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Your absence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/your-absence/) ## Related quotes > [Don't borrow money from a neighbor or a friend, but of a stranger where, paying for it you shall hear of it no more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cecil-1st-baron-burghley/don-t-borrow-money-from-a-neighbor-or-a-friend-but-of-a-stranger/) [William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cecil-1st-baron-burghley/) > [Remember that all is One... and what you do to your neighbor, your friend or your foe, is a reflection of what you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/remember-that-all-is-one-and-what-you-do-to-your-neighbor-your-friend/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [Women are from their very infancy debarred those Advantages with the want of which they are afterwards reproached.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-astell/women-are-from-their-very-infancy-debarred-those-advantages-with-the-2/) [Mary Astell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-astell/) > [“I reproached them all for not having told me of my son's departure, and for not stopping him, until that interfering old biddy Eurycleia…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/i-reproached-them-all-for-not-having-told-me-of-my-son-s-departure/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Images have been reproached for being a way of watching suffering at a distance, as if there were some other way of watching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/images-have-been-reproached-for-being-a-way-of-watching-suffering-at/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [I am reproached for allegedly preparing my children, my eldest son, as a successor. I swear to you I have never discussed this idea,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-lukashenko/i-am-reproached-for-allegedly-preparing-my-children-my-eldest-son-as/) [Alexander Lukashenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-lukashenko/) > [“It was not an enemy that reproached me, then I could have borne it. Psalms, 55:12”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-was-not-an-enemy-that-reproached-me-then-i-could-have-borne-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A man who does not love praise is not a full man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/a-man-who-does-not-love-praise-is-not-a-full-man/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [“The glory of God is not that of a despotic tyrant, but the splendour of love before which we fall not in abject terror…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-barclay/the-glory-of-god-is-not-that-of-a-despotic-tyrant-but-the-splendour/) [William Barclay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-barclay/) > [I love to praise what I love, and I won't for a minute believe that love is blind -- indeed, it gives clearness without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-anne-porter/i-love-to-praise-what-i-love-and-i-won-t-for-a-minute-believe-that/) [Katherine Anne Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-anne-porter/) > [Life . . . is a joyful expression of love, praise and thanksgiving instead of a hopeless struggle which eventually ends in death. Giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-scheid/life-is-a-joyful-expression-of-love-praise-and-thanksgiving-instead/) [Robert Scheid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-scheid/) > [Your art is to be the praise of something that you love. It may only be the praise of a shell or a stone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/your-art-is-to-be-the-praise-of-something-that-you-love-it-may-only/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [The best work is a fusion of love and praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-grizzuti-harrison/the-best-work-is-a-fusion-of-love-and-praise/) [Barbara Grizzuti Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-grizzuti-harrison/) > [Such is the love of praise, so great the anxiety for victory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil/such-is-the-love-of-praise-so-great-the-anxiety-for-victory/) [Virgil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil/) > [We all are imbued with the love of praise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/we-all-are-imbued-with-the-love-of-praise/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) ## More by John Climacus > [When people begin to praise us, let us hurry to remember the multitude of ours transgressions, and we will see that we are truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-climacus/when-people-begin-to-praise-us-let-us-hurry-to-remember-the-multitude/) [John Climacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-climacus/) > [He does not show humility who accuses himself (for who will not accept rebukes from himself?), but he who, being rebuked by another, does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-climacus/he-does-not-show-humility-who-accuses-himself-for-who-will-not-accept/) [John Climacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-climacus/) > [Pride is the utter poverty of soul disguised as riches, imaginary light where in fact there is darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-climacus/pride-is-the-utter-poverty-of-soul-disguised-as-riches-imaginary/) [John Climacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-climacus/) > [A discerning man, when he eats grapes, takes only the ripe ones and leaves the sour. Thus also the discerning mind carefully marks the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-climacus/a-discerning-man-when-he-eats-grapes-takes-only-the-ripe-ones-and/) [John Climacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-climacus/) > [Do not stop praying as long as, by God's grace, the fire and the water have not been exhausted, for it may happen that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-climacus/do-not-stop-praying-as-long-as-by-god-s-grace-the-fire-and-the-water/) [John Climacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-climacus/) > [Holy love has a way of consuming some. This is what is meant by the one who said, 'You have ravished our hearts' (Sg.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-climacus/holy-love-has-a-way-of-consuming-some-this-is-what-is-meant-by-the/) [John Climacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-climacus/) > [The first stage of this tranquility consists in silencing the lips when the heart is excited. The second, in silencing the mind when the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-climacus/the-first-stage-of-this-tranquility-consists-in-silencing-the-lips/) [John Climacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-climacus/) > [Someone who is elated with wine speaks the truth on all subjects, even without meaning to. In the same way, anyone who is inebriated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-climacus/someone-who-is-elated-with-wine-speaks-the-truth-on-all-subjects-even/) [John Climacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-climacus/) > [It can happen that when we are at prayer some brothers come to see us. Then we have to choose either to interrupt our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-climacus/it-can-happen-that-when-we-are-at-prayer-some-brothers-come-to-see-us/) [John Climacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-climacus/) > [When a man has found the Lord, he no longer has to use words when he is praying, for the Spirit Himself will intercede…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-climacus/when-a-man-has-found-the-lord-he-no-longer-has-to-use-words-when-he/) [John Climacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-climacus/) > [Obedience is the burial of the will and the resurrection of humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-climacus/obedience-is-the-burial-of-the-will-and-the-resurrection-of-humility/) [John Climacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-climacus/) > [Humility is the only thing that no devil can imitate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-climacus/humility-is-the-only-thing-that-no-devil-can-imitate/) [John Climacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-climacus/) > [Humility is the only virtue that no devil can imitate. If pride made demons out of angels, there is no doubt that humility could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-climacus/humility-is-the-only-virtue-that-no-devil-can-imitate-if-pride-made/) [John Climacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-climacus/) > [Repentance lifts a man up. Mourning knocks at heaven's gate. Holy humility opens it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-climacus/repentance-lifts-a-man-up-mourning-knocks-at-heaven-s-gate-holy/) [John Climacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-climacus/) > [When you are depressed, bear in mind the Lord's command to Peter to forgive a sinner seventy times seven (cf. Mt. 18:22). And you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-climacus/when-you-are-depressed-bear-in-mind-the-lord-s-command-to-peter-to/) [John Climacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-climacus/) [Explore all 58 John Climacus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-climacus/) ## More Absence quotes > [Distance sometimes endears friendship, and absence sweeteneth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howell/distance-sometimes-endears-friendship-and-absence-sweeteneth-it/) [James Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howell/) > [The work, the work, the work. This is what the business is all about. This is the fun, the glory, the pleasure. It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-dusenberry/the-work-the-work-the-work-this-is-what-the-business-is-all-about/) [Phil Dusenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-dusenberry/) > [Total depravity means the entire absence of holiness, not the highest intensity of sin. A totally depraved man is not as bad as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greenough-thayer-shedd/total-depravity-means-the-entire-absence-of-holiness-not-the-highest/) [William Greenough Thayer Shedd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greenough-thayer-shedd/) > [Local and state governments have outrun the federal government. The EPA has served notice that it will enact a rule requiring CO2 reductions by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/local-and-state-governments-have-outrun-the-federal-government-the/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [There, in the center of that silence was not eternity but the death of time and a loneliness so profound the word itself had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-in-the-center-of-that-silence-was-not-eternity-but-the-death-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Of all the bewildering things about a new country, the absence of human landmarks is one of the most depressing and disheartening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/of-all-the-bewildering-things-about-a-new-country-the-absence-of/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [Young men have strong passions and tend to gratify them indiscriminately. Of the bodily desires, it is the sexual by which they are most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/young-men-have-strong-passions-and-tend-to-gratify-them/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [It is suggested that in domestic violence at least the presence or absence of a firearm, or of any other type of weapon, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-greenwood/it-is-suggested-that-in-domestic-violence-at-least-the-presence-or/) [Colin Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-greenwood/) > [The absence of God in most spheres of life is perceived to be normal, and even Christians feel it as normal - which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/the-absence-of-god-in-most-spheres-of-life-is-perceived-to-be-normal/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Every person needs to take one day away. A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future. 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Ambedkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-r-ambedkar/) [Browse all 2,057 Absence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you hear that your neighbor or friend has reproached you in your absence or presence, then show love and praise him.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Climacus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-climacus/when-you-hear-that-your-neighbor-or-friend-has-reproached-you-in-your/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Absence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-climacus/when-you-hear-that-your-neighbor-or-friend-has-reproached-you-in-your/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/john-climacus-11711_absence_when-you-hear-that-your-neighbor-or-frie_2941369.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/john-climacus-11711_absence_when-you-hear-that-your-neighbor-or-frie_2941369.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/abe/john-climacus-11711_absence_when-you-hear-that-your-neighbor-or-frie_2941369.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you hear that your neighbor or friend has reproached you in your absence or presence, then show love…” — John Climacus", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Climacus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-climacus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you hear that your neighbor...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-climacus/when-you-hear-that-your-neighbor-or-friend-has-reproached-you-in-your/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-climacus/when-you-hear-that-your-neighbor-or-friend-has-reproached-you-in-your/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```