Are You Right?
“My people are fools; they do not know
me. They are senseless children; they have no understanding. They are skilled in
doing evil; they know not how to do good.” – Jeremiah 4:22
The other day a usually sweet young woman tried to
explain something to me. I listened. I did. Then I tried to explain to her that
she was wrong and why she was wrong. She became so upset with me that she was
almost yelling. It would have been comical if it wasn’t so sad.
Here’s a simple truth: We are rarely as smart as we
think we are and other people are rarely as dumb as we think they are. Let that
soak in for a moment.
Sometimes we are so busy being right that we miss
learning something new. Sometimes we are so set in our beliefs that we miss the
truth staring right at us.
Look at the Pharisees. They knew God’s Word. They were
well-versed in Jewish law. But they were so busy keeping the rules and looking
down on others that they missed the Messiah. What are you missing? Be careful
how you answer.
God was furious with His people because they didn’t
know Him. They really didn’t. They went through the motions of sacrifice, all
the while doing evil. And they somehow believed it was all okay with Him. It
wasn’t.
Sometimes I see and hear the actions of others and I
wonder if they heard anything the pastor said on Sunday. Maybe they didn’t
think it applied to them. It does. Just like it applies to me and you. It’s not
about us. It’s about God. Be honest. Do good. Put Him first. It’ll all work
out.
Because when we invite God into whatever we’ve got
going on, it does work out. When we get out of the way and ask Him to control
the situation, He works it out for our good and His glory. And when we set our
own agendas and try to manipulate a situation to fit our desires and what we
think is right, it always blows up in a really nasty way.
Read your Bible. You’ll see that truth playing out
again and again. God won’t tolerate disobedience, especially when it’s done in
His name. Church is no place for selfish motivations and backstabbing
maneuverings. Of course, we could say the same about life. Can you imagine how
the world would change if God’s people always behaved like God’s people should?
We are so busy pointing fingers at everyone else that
we miss the plank in our own eyes. We’re supposed to work together, to respect
each other, to listen and learn and grow in His Word. We can’t see that.
Oh, we claim we do. We’re happy to tell you how things
are supposed to be. I’ve had people quote the Bible to me and become really
upset when I ask them to show me where the quote actually is in the Bible. Do
you know why? Because the “quote” wasn’t there. They were passing on things
they’d heard without bothering to read and study God’s Word for themselves.
I am not perfect. I make mistakes daily. So do you. But
when we seek God’s Presence in all we do, when our hearts try desperately to do
His will and to bring honor to His name, it shows up in our relationships with
others. We find ourselves extending grace and mercy. We come to understand that
we don’t have all the answers. He does.
The next time you get upset because you “know” you’re
right and someone else is wrong, take a deep breath and hold your words. Ask
God for insight and wisdom. You may not be as right as you think you are and
they may not be as wrong as you think they are.
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