humble repentance

if a person tries to cover up
his wrong-doing
by lying ("i didn't do it!"),
by excusing it ("it wasn't that bad"),
or by justifying it
("it was the right thing to do in my circumstances!),
his pride will move God to oppose him.

and people will learn
that he cannot be trusted


admitting one's wrong-doing
and then abandoning it
gains God's compassion first.

then most of the time
it will cause people to be compassionate also,
especially if they have been transformed
by responding
to God's conviction.

(reflections on proverbs 28.13)