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Forgive my clumsy offering. It is important to separate the spiritual from the physical. I did not do a good job of maintaining that.

There is nothing wrong with yourpride of helping others! It is if you try to offer those jewels to the Lord to earn eternal life that is at issue.

I am proud of a few things I have done in this life for others. BUT those deeds do not earn me eternal life. They might warrant a spike or two in my rewards crown when I come before the Bema seat of Christ, in Heaven, in that third Heaven space-time zone where the Throne of God is, but they didn't and will not earn what God alone gives for belkief in wht He has done for our salvation.

God makes it plain, albeit a hard thing to acvcept, that our good deeds do not earn His Grace. Our Belief in Whom He sent brings His Grace to our human spirit, to abide there forever more. If we choose to not believe what He has done for us, we will still stand before His Judgment Throne at the end of the millenial reign of Christ, when all who have yet to be resurrected will be resurrected to bodies fit for eternal sensing ... and the books will be opened and weighing of our works will commence. IF the righteousness of Christ is not found in those deeds of the flesh, we cannot exist with God and must be putr apart from God, for an eternal existence separated from the Love of God.

That weighing event can be eshewed by simply saying thank you to the One Who paid the penalty ahead of time for you. It is therefore Grace and only Grace, which glorifies the Giver of eternal Life, not the value of your good deeds.

It is the 'evolutionary' path which God has designed into the human race, to be born from above into His Life or remain unfit for His Presence due to unbelief in His Gift for you. As a good man, truly, this accepting so great a gift to you will eventually be seen, spiritually. So, I think I WILL see you in the clouds, sooner rather than later. Good men recognize The Good Lord of Grace.