12 | December | 2017 | His Perfect Timing

We must keep our eyes on Jesus. Hebrews 12:2

Happy Tuesday! I don’t know about your life, but mine has been busy during the holidays this year. I was thinking this morning about all the Christmas seasons I’ve seen come and go. Some years I was meeting myself coming and going, and others were too quiet. Neither is good. When our lives are too slow during the holidays, we tend to become depressed. When we are too busy, we become overwhelmed. It’s really difficult to enjoy this time of year in either state. An alternative choice is to be moderately busy with life’s tasks, but take time to enjoy Christmas.

Have you ever been in a meeting and been engaged in an argument? You probably haven’t, but I certainly have. As a matter of fact, it happened to me last night. This morning I find myself pondering the question, when it is important to be right. What do you think?

I was reading an article from Psychology Today where Schwartz, the author, explained that from an early age we are rewarded for being right (Schwartz, March 7, 2011). I found this to certainly be true in my life. When I was in grade school, I was rewarded for good grades and punished for bad. The competitiveness of our society encourages people to continue in this pattern. Schwartz asked couples in counseling if they would rather be right or happy. He goes on to say that while everyone says happiness, the couples continue to fight. So, when is it important to be right?

I have found while teaching Sunday School that there are many ideas thrown on the table. Each person thinks his or her idea is right. I want to encourage discussion, and gently guide members to what the Bible says. Often to avoid conflict, I say “there’s no right or wrong answer.” But, wait a minute, there clearly is a right answer. When is it important to be right? In this case, proving a point could steer others away from Christ. So, what I try to do is ask questions that lead the class to seeking the information where they can find the right answer.

So, is being right even important? Being right in the right manner earns respect. Being right aggressively is sometimes seen as bullying. Conversely, being wrong is just embarrassing, and we all want to save face. In my situation, I’m not sure who was right, but I just let it go. I laughed it off. However, it is still in the back of my mind and I know sometime today, that I will find out who was right. Will I bring it up again? No. There’s no point. If I was wrong, I don’t want it to happen again. Oops. What did I just say? The only answer I have is to pray about the question and trust God. However, when you know the answer ask yourself, is it important to tell anyone. If you were right, let the other person save face. If you were wrong, be kind to yourself.

So, today I encourage you to let go of arguments. No one really wins. I look forward to reading your comments. God Bless you.