(Minghui.org) Other practitioners’ experiences have helped me identify my own issues.

Ang shared her story of talking to people about Falun Dafa and the persecution. She was near a pedestrian bridge one day and saw someone carrying a heavy bag. Ang helped her carry the bag and clarified the truth to her, and the woman was delighted to hear what she said.

Ang went to the other side of the bridge to talk to people, and most of them listened. Before she left, Ang noticed a vendor under the bridge and went over to talk to him. Perhaps she felt happy because she was able to clarify the truth, and she didn’t notice her attachment to zealotry. The man said something nasty and shooed her away.

Ang rode away on her bicycle. She was disappointed and wept. She thought about her mission as a practitioner and headed back to the vendor. When he asked why she was crying, Ang explained. She apologized and he listened as she clarified the truth.

I searched inward after I heard Ang’s story. A furniture store owner shooed me away when I tried to clarify the truth to her. I was frustrated and paced back and forth across the street. I knew she was angry, and I waited for her to calm down so I could go back and talk to her. But she stood in front of the store and stared at me angrily. I realized I couldn’t talk to her that day and thought I would return another day.

Another practitioner said she once talked to a man and he told her to get lost. I immediately remembered the furniture store owner, and I had many negative thoughts. Such as, “who hasn’t run into someone like that,” (this exposed my attachment of showing off); and, “there are people like that,” (this exposed my resentment). I even made some negative comments as if I did a lot to clarify the truth. Compared to Ang, I realized I didn’t behave like a practitioner. I hadn’t reach the standard and I was sliding downward.

Wang said she went to Ling’s house one day, and saw her mopping the floor. Ling’s husband was very picky and kept criticizing her saying, “You missed this spot, you missed that spot.” Ling continued to mop the floor without any complaint. Wang searched inward and realized she often argued with her husband about trivial things, such as how to hang the clothes to dry.

Feng said she did some work for Jing’s family, but she didn’t like to take orders from Jing on how to clean the bathroom. Feng felt resentful because Jing is a practitioner too, and should not treat her that way.

I thought of myself after hearing Feng’s story. I criticized Hong when she was hospitalized, and didn’t consider if she could handle the criticism. I thought I was helping her because she wanted to continue to cultivate. I didn’t search inward first and thus felt helpless.

If we only focus on other people’s problems, we won’t be able to improve ourselves, and our behavior doesn’t validate Dafa.