I Give Up the Desire to Be Right
11th Day of Lenten Devotional Series
Guest Post by: Monica Spees, First Baptist Church, Bowling Green, KY
Proverbs 3:30 (ESV) Do not contend with a man for no reason, when he has done you no harm.
Growing up, sometimes I was "that kid." The precocious know-it-all who corrected friends' grammar and challenged facts in classmates' stories. Let me tell ya, nobody likes "that kid." I wish I could say I’ve completely grown out of that annoying trait, but
it pops up from time to time. And it’s not just me. I see it on television and on
my social media feeds: the desire to be right. Not just the private assumption
of rightness, but the public declaration of it.
I’m getting married in June. As my fiancé and I have bought a house,
started setting up joint finances and been planning a wedding, I’ve wanted to
be right about a lot of things. In fact, I’ve often insisted that I’m right. No, that painting should be hung over there.
No, my idea is better for paying bills.
No, no no. Not only that, but a new house and an approaching wedding add
stress to two people individually and as a couple, and we’ve both jabbed each
other with some sharp criticism here and there. Our strategy during these
little quarrels has become to pause before spewing out more assertions of
rightness and remind the other, “I don’t think you’re stupid. I don’t think
your ideas are bad. Let’s figure out a solution. I’m listening.”
The same poison that tries to inject itself into the veins of my
relationship infiltrates cyberspace every second, particularly in regard to
politics. Whether complete strangers or close friends, more people than I can
count seem to repeat the same refrain: How
could anyone like this person? I hate all people who support this policy. Just
unfriend me if you’re a liberal. I’ve disowned all my conservative family
members. Disappointingly, it’s sometimes Christians hurling these verbal
grenades at other Christians. I rarely see anyone tell the other side, “I don’t
think you’re stupid. I’m listening.”
Being right – or wanting others to think I’m right – isn’t important
enough in my life to hang on to this Lent season, or ever.
And if we’re not careful, the desire to be right will dismember the Body
of Christ.
Proverbs 17:14, 19 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out… Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin; whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.
Proverbs 3:30 (ESV) Do not contend with a man for no reason, when he has done you no harm.
Growing up, sometimes I was "that kid." The precocious know-it-all who corrected friends' grammar and challenged facts in classmates' stories. Let me tell ya, nobody likes "that kid." I wish I could say I’ve completely grown out of that annoying trait, but
it pops up from time to time. And it’s not just me. I see it on television and on
my social media feeds: the desire to be right. Not just the private assumption
of rightness, but the public declaration of it.
I’m getting married in June. As my fiancé and I have bought a house,
started setting up joint finances and been planning a wedding, I’ve wanted to
be right about a lot of things. In fact, I’ve often insisted that I’m right. No, that painting should be hung over there.
No, my idea is better for paying bills.
No, no no. Not only that, but a new house and an approaching wedding add
stress to two people individually and as a couple, and we’ve both jabbed each
other with some sharp criticism here and there. Our strategy during these
little quarrels has become to pause before spewing out more assertions of
rightness and remind the other, “I don’t think you’re stupid. I don’t think
your ideas are bad. Let’s figure out a solution. I’m listening.”
The same poison that tries to inject itself into the veins of my
relationship infiltrates cyberspace every second, particularly in regard to
politics. Whether complete strangers or close friends, more people than I can
count seem to repeat the same refrain: How
could anyone like this person? I hate all people who support this policy. Just
unfriend me if you’re a liberal. I’ve disowned all my conservative family
members. Disappointingly, it’s sometimes Christians hurling these verbal
grenades at other Christians. I rarely see anyone tell the other side, “I don’t
think you’re stupid. I’m listening.” Being right – or wanting others to think I’m right – isn’t important
enough in my life to hang on to this Lent season, or ever.
Being right – or wanting others to think I’m right – isn’t important
enough in my life to hang on to this Lent season, or ever.
And if we’re not careful, the desire to be right will dismember the Body
of Christ.
What a moving BIG idea, to be found in such a small brief blog post. Well done!
ReplyDelete