Smugness

"We like predictability, and we are always satisfied when people behave as we think they will. It makes us feel . . well, powerful; the world is not as complex a place as some might think-at least it is not complex for US. She stopped herself. Nemesis stalked those who became pleased with themselves, and it was wrong,anyway, to indulge in self-congratulation. The line between having an adequate view of oneself and smugness was a thin one, and those who walked too close to it usually fell over the edge."

The Charming Quirks of Others
Alexander McCall Smith

A Friend's Insightful and Truly Uplifting Comment

"This organization is made up of imperfect people and no matter how you look at it - no matter how spiritual we all could possibly be, there will always be problems with one another because Satan wants it that way. We still move and exist and breathe in this world...he is trying his best to distract us and then pounce! He doesn't care how he gets us as long as he gets us. We could commit a major sin, we could just "go easy on ourselves", he could make our hearts hardened against someone and get us with not forgiving one another, he could make us apathetic and discouraged with the way things are handled in the congregation - he doesn't really care. He doesn't even care if we leave the truth - as long as we aren't doing what we're supposed to be doing or have thoughts weaving thru our minds that make us critical, despondent, unforgiving, etc ...he could make us just down on ourselves and make us think we can never do enough to make Jehovah happy and he could even trap us that way! I've always tried to remember that the people Jehovah has drawn are people that he sees something in...it doesn't mean they stay with him or with us, but it means that I don't ever want to be the person that had anything to do with them leaving - I've always wanted to be the kind of person that helped them to stay. After all that I've done, I realize I may have been someone who made people leave and I want to make up for that somehow by doing my best to be as forgiving and understanding as possible - to be a true sister to everyone Jehovah draws to him."