Authentic discipleship needs to be evaluated by how we respond to individuals who challenge us and by our faithfulness in challenging others, when prompted to do so by the Holy Spirit. The Bible commands us to accept, warn, admonish, encourage, teach, instruct, correct, forgive, show forbearance towards, confess our sins to, maintain harmonious relationships with and to submit to one another. And we are to do this as a part of everyday life; not once in a blue moon. The Bible also commands us not to bite and destroy one another, pass judgement on, grumble against, slander, lie to, provoke or envy one another.

"All of you clothe yourselves with humility towards one another, because God opposes the proud and shows favour to the humble" (1Pt 5:5).

Jesus is, and was and always will be, humble to the core (Mt 11:29). "Put on [clothe yourselves with] the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires [being quick to take offence] (Rm 13:11-14).

Pharaoh refused to humble himself before Yahweh and suffered the consequences.

God humbled his people in the wilderness through hunger and thirst to discipline them and to test their obedience. Are we up for that, refusing to blame others?

God saves the humble, sustains them and guides them in what is right (2Sm 22:28; Ps 18:27; 25:9; 147:6). No one can be saved without humbling themselves. God says: "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word" (Isa 66:2).

God promised his people in Solomon's time that if they were to humble themselves he would heal their land. It is always a case of our humbling ourselves not asking God to do it. The process must always starts with us. 

"Moses was more humble than anyone else of the face of the earth … Why then were you [Miriam and Aaron] not afraid to speak against him?" (Nm 12:1-16). We can so easily slip into criticising God's leaders. He hates that.

"Be completely humble and gentle" (Eph 4:2). "Put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator" (Eph 4:24; Col 3:10). "Put on the armour of light (Rm 13:12). Pride never shines a light on the glory God.

"Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil" (Eph 6:11). He is always promoting a prideful reaction to legitimate challenges. When feeling as a church leader that I should flag up something to a member, others have said to me "You cannot say that to them!"

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience" (Col 3:12). Again we read: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble … humble yourselves before the Lord" (Jm 4:6-10). "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you. Cast all you anxiety on him because he cares for you" (1Pt 5:6). We need to experience for ourselves the gracious hand of God carrying our burdens before we correct others.