Did you know you can be right and still be wrong? That sounds kind of backwards, but let me explain.
From a very early age I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to do two things; write and preach. I had the advantage of growing up in a great home an in a wonderful Christian school and church. My parents, teachers, and friends all told me they thought that God would use me in great ways.
I'm glad they encouraged me. It motivated me to continue to strive for excellence in everything I did. But as I got into high-school, I started to think that I was God's gift to creation. Instead of listening to parents and teachers and other wise adults, I brushed them off, thinking I already knew everything I needed to know.
Worst of all, I developed a real tendency to debate, even with my closest friends. I wanted to win every argument, because I always thought I was right. Then I got into college and real life and God allowed me to endure some difficult trials that worked to humble me.
I began to learn a painful lesson that God is still teaching me. I learned that I could be right about an argument or a truth and still be wrong. I fear that some Christian teens today might have to learn that same lesson.
I get really excited when I hear about young people who are fired up for Christ. It thrills me to read their blogs, their books, hear their messages. America needs a generation of young people who are unflinching in an age when the truths of Christianity are being attacked like never before.
We want to be careful, however, about being so proud of being right, we forget the example of Jesus. If you read the Gospel of John, Jesus was known for balancing two extremes. Grace and Truth. Jesus always, always stood for truth. He never compromised it. But Jesus was always preaching and living grace. Grace is the ability to love others in spite of their mistakes and failures.
Jesus exhibited perfectly the way to be right without being wrong. Young people need to learn this more than anyone. We get so fired up about the truth, we tend to run over people. We get proud of being right. We forget that God also wants us to love people, to exhibit grace.
So next time you're in an argument with a friend, remember that its possible to be right . . . and still be wrong.
Daniel Darling
