Honestly, I think a lot of the time on forums that what gets written up as pride/contention can be just be straight forward honesty (although temperance, discretion, gentleness & humility should be ever growing graces in a believers life for certain), & lot that gets written off or billed as "humility", can really just be clever, coy, word gymnastics. I know with my kids (& I have 7, so I've seen it all) if someone does something & is genuinely apologetic & moves on, I tend to want to be hopeful for the future & let them grow in it. But when they are coy, sarcastic, sneaky, play the victim when they've really played a part in the instigation & then tried to hide it, something in me has a particular distaste for it. While I can do such too & am not perfect, I think it's the same type root Jesus called out in the Pharisees. When he called them "hypocrites", it was the Greek for "actors" (as in the theater - "playing a role"). We must always remember that God sees & knows ALL including the motives, the intent, the truthfulness in the inward parts, whether one is "a true Israelite, in whom there is no guile", etc. This is something we all should take before the Lord regularly & allow Him to shine the spotlight of His Spirit on. It's not just our words, actions, etc. that will be judged on that Day, but even most especially our real motive, intents, etc. Something we all should make sure we are open, honest, & pure in, even if we are imperfect. It's the Pharisee that prayed he was glad he wasn't like the sinner, but the sinner who was open, honest, humble, & repentant that went away justified. Just something for all of us to remember. Jeff |