Conscientious or contentious...

I have been thinking about the difference between being conscientious and contentious. One means to be thoughtful about doing something the right way, while the other means to be argumentative. They are not opposites directly, but in a more figurative way they can be.

I have long considered myself to be conscientious; seeking to think, speak, and act rightly. My thought has been that it is just as easy to get along as it is to create trouble or to engage in exacerbating it!

While at the same time, I tend to be head strong and resolute about things of consequence to me, and often labor arduously over my position. In other words, I can be argumentative... contentious.

Ironic as it is, I have the propensity to be both. I am both! Now comes the hard part; finding the balance.

We should always be considerate and thoughtful, working to live out a higher purpose in our lives. And, it's okay to be passionate about what we feel and think. However,  we have to be cautious to not be combative! Just because we are right doesn't give us the latitude to excuse our contentious  behavior.

It should cause us to pause as we think about our spiritual lives, our social and political thoughts,  our emotional and ethical motivations. In everything...

Being right still requires doing right...