Demons once heaped praise on one of the most discerning of the brothers. They even appeared to him in visible form. But this very wise man spoke to them as follows, "If you cease to praise me by way of the thoughts of my heart, I shall consider myself to be great and outstanding because of the fact that you have left me. But if you continue to praise me, I must deduce from such praise that I am very impure indeed, since every proud hearted man is unclean before the Lord (cf. Prov. 16:5).
So leave me, and I shall become great, or else praise me, and with your help I shall earn more humility."
Struck by this dilemma, they vanished.
Saint John Climacus
Saint John Climacus