The Imitation of Christ · Chapter
Of Prudence in Action explained
This chapter counsels the reader to exercise prudence by not trusting every word or inner feeling, but instead testing all things cautiously to discern whether they are of God.
What happens
This chapter counsels the reader to exercise prudence by not trusting every word or inner feeling, but instead testing all things cautiously to discern whether they are of God. It warns against human weakness that inclines toward believing and speaking evil, and commends the wisdom of being slow to act, humble in opinion, and willing to seek counsel from the wise and godly.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This is the story’s dramatic climax because the speaker reaches an emotional and psychological peak of total s…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Humility and Self-Denial
The chapter teaches that humility and obedience to God make a person wise and peaceful, and warns against stubbornness in one's own opinions.
- Interior Life and Solitude
Prudence in action requires interior stillness and caution, not hasty reaction to external words or feelings.
Characters to notice
- The Disciple
The narrator speaks as one giving instruction on prudence, humility, and obedience.
- God the Father
Implied as the source of wisdom and the one to whom the humble soul is obedient.
Key passages
“We must not trust every word of others or feeling within ourselves, but cautiously and patiently try the matter, whether it be of God.”
Do not immediately accept every statement or inner impulse; instead, test it carefully and patiently to see if it comes from God.
This is the core teaching on prudence and discernment.
“The more humble a man is in himself, and the more obedient towards God, the wiser will he be in all things, and the more shall his soul be at peace.”
The humbler and more obedient a person is to God, the wiser and more peaceful he becomes in every situation.
The chapter concludes by linking humility, obedience, wisdom, and peace.
