"For they saw and beheld with great sorrow that the people of the church began to be lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and to set their hearts upon riches and upon the vain things of the world, that they began to be scornful, one towards another, and they began to persecute those that did not believe according to their own will and pleasure."
Alma 4:8
Scorn, according to Merriam-Webster, is "open dislike and disrespect or mockery often mixed with indignation," which seems to correspond very well with a sense of pride or self-righteousness. Perhaps the key to avoiding this trap in our lives is to remember how much we all need God in our lives.
It's scary to pray for humility, because humility doesn't allow us to feel superior, and it can hurt to feel our weaknesses and incompetence. Sometimes we need to do it anyway though, so that we don't fall into this trap, and start feeling like we are better than other people and that we're somehow making it all on our own. We all need God, desperately.
Today, let's examine our lives, and if we feel scorn for others, let's take that plunge and pray for humility. God will teach us how to be better people, if we open up and let him. It's hard, but worth it.
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