In these short, very insightful passages about human nature and the ego, Hazrat Inayat Khan uses the word ‘gentleman,’ which in this context means someone who has been softened, who is finer than before, or literally, a ‘gentle man.’ To ‘mind’ here means ‘to object to,’ ‘to resent.’
The life in the world can be pictured as everyone pushing away another who stands in his way, thus making his way towards his object. Man generally does not mind when he pushes another away, he minds when he is pushed away. When he becomes somewhat considerate, then he tries to refrain from pushing others away, and for that very reason he feels hurt when he is pushed away by others. If a gentleman happens to be wise also, he does not push away anyone, out of his gentleness, nor does he mind being pushed away, but goes on patiently in the pursuit of the object he wishes to accomplish. But when a gentleman is kind, but void of wisdom, he stands still in life, blocking the way for others and placing himself in a place from where he always will be pushed away. Many are kind, but few are kind and gentle, and fewer still are kind, gentle, and wise at the same time.
* * *
There are egos who are not ready and willing to accept all that attracts them. The more something attracts them, the more they rebel against it, doubting if it be not a temptation. Even if they see a reality in the thing which attracts them, they consider that tendency of being attracted a weakness in themselves. There are egos who refuse to accept what their friend has accepted, and refuse to admire fully what that friend has admired, and even if they wished to take something that they saw that their friend had taken, they would refuse to take it.
For the tendency of that ego is to swim against the tides; it is a strength of ego. Against this strength Christ has said: “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” It was the same strength of mentality which kept some Jews to their own belief, even being impressed by the personality of Christ; and it is this power which has in most part stood against the Messenger, building a wall of fortification between the Messenger and the souls who long for guidance.