The Need to be Right

Readings: Proverbs 3:7-8

We all have a need to be right. We like it when, during a discussion, someone looks at us and says, "You're right." We smile to ourselves and do a little imaginary back-patting.

It just feels good to be right. 

Sometimes, however, the need to be right overrides good sense and disassociates itself completely with wisdom. At that point in time, our need to be right does us (and others) more harm than good. And, nine times out of ten, the victory is quite a shallow one at that.

Proverbs 3: 7-8 tells us, "Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones."

Needing to be right impedes healthy bones? Proverbally speaking...yes.

Think of wisdom as absolute health. When we are purring along through life and are keeping everything in check, we are indeed healthy. However, we seldom just purr along through life anymore; we are constantly in interactions with people, with machinery, with too busy schedules. Study after study has proven that as much as 95% of disease these days is from the debilitating effects of stress. Much of that stress comes from confrontations with others--yep, on needing to be right. It's difficult to fold to someone when we just know they're wrong and we just know we're right. It's frustrating to work at a computer that we just know is working incorrectly and we're doing it right. It's irritating when others don't see just how valuable our limited time is. Stress, stress, stress...and, of course, we're right about how we live our lives. We have good reasons for every mistake we make. 

The cure? We don't always have to be right. We don't need to waste all that time and energy arguing our side of the case in the car to ourselves after a confrontation with someone--we don't need to "be wise in our own eyes". 

Our biggest goal is to shun evil--evil thoughts towards others when they don't see things our way. Just give it a try for a day, then for a week. See if your overall health improves...you will, in essence, be giving "nourishment to your bones"...stress won't be tearing you apart.

It's actually quite a relief not needing to be right all the time. It takes a great deal of burden off one's back. Give it a try...we can all use more healthy days.

Peace be with you.