Being Righteous over Being Right

We are living in volatile times. An understatement for sure.

Everyone has an opinion, a perspective, a point of view. We stake a claim on a particular belief, stab our flag into position, and stand our ground. We’re not budging.

When I read various posts on social media regarding politics, culture or spiritual stuff, and I disagree with them, I get so mad and frustrated. I want to tell them off and put them in their place. I want them to know what’s right and how they are wrong. I know I’m not the only one.

My heart gets to racing, I pound my fist, I shake my finger at the computer screen. I fuss to those around me…”Can you believe what they wrote?” Occasionally, I type a reply. That’ll show’em.

When my attitude gets like this towards people with whom I disagree, it really undermines Unity. I get easily distracted from “Who unites us, NOT What divides us”.

Being right over being righteous will mess me up every time.

Why do I get so mad?? It’s not so much I get mad at them….well, sometimes…maybe a lot of the time. So, digging a little deeper, I discover I’m not really mad at the people per say. Rather, I get mad at the lies and the deception they seem to uphold. I believe there’s a better way. Deep down, I really want righteousness.

At the heart of this, I want the truth to be told. I want “conformity to God’s own being including His standard of rightness and His will” , I want them to know the error of their ways, to do better, to believe better.

I know WHAT I believe and strongly think what I have to say is right…but often HOW I feel and act towards people is very misguided. My desire to put them in their place is wrong. My heart for righteousness and truth and tearing down deception is sincere, but my lack of love is very un-Christ-like.

More Christ, Less Me

Love must be my guiding light while declaring truth. I’ve got to love the people while hating the lies. I’ve got to love who they are while exposing the deception of their beliefs.

It’s very easy to get the 2 mixed up.

We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5

I love what Alisa Childers says in her podcast, “We tear down thoughts and ideas but not people.”

Truth and Love go Hand in Hand

We are called to confront the false arguments and faulty thinking while loving the person. We are commissioned to destroy every proud obstacle, while remembering the goal is for people to know God. We speak the truth, but we do it with love.