Are you self-righteous or Christ-like in your relations with fellow Christians?

2 John reminds us of our individual responsibility to walk in the doctrine of Christ. However, in our quest to be doctrinaire, we may find ourselves becoming less and less like the Christ we desire to model before others. I've personally struggled with finding myself becoming self-righteous in my dealings with fellow believers, particularly those who didn't agree completely with my belief system. G.K. Chesterton speaks of our tendency to live in either a small or broader circle. If we're not careful we'll call ourselves people of "the way" when in reality we are small minded and inclined only toward people of our doctrinal persuasion. Though we must maintain sound doctrine, the expression of our stand for our beliefs is as or more important than our Jesus belief's themselves. God help us as Christians to relate to fellow believers in a way that becomes their place as fellow believers in Christ. As we take these words to heart, we'll leave the motives of others in God's hands; we'll be people slow to speak, quick to listen, a people prone to pray and embrace those different from us as God guides us, we'll deal with fellow Christians in a accepting way. The only people Christ reserved anger for were the Pharisees; God guard us from a show of righteousness, a vain show which knows nothing of true, heart religion.