Pride Check: Falling Into Grace Happens When You Let Go of Your Own Righteousness

By Jared Diprose, Monday, January 08, 2018

Now here is something we all need to face—sometimes we suck. One thing that has dumbfounded me recently is how many people think they don't suck, that they have it right, and that they don't do things wrong. I find people who are 'never wrong' hard work, and it really makes me angry when someone can never admit to their own fault, or see their own weakness. Instead, they become good at blaming others, and justifying their own actions.

The worst part of this is that I am sure I have been that guy from time to time, and I know there have been times where I have made other people feel small and inadequate. I wonder if I am one of those people that I find hard work... Are you one of those people? The thing that we all have to face sooner or later is this, that we are all 'that person' to one extent or the other. It is a humbling thing to wrestle with yourself sucking and being wrong, particularly when you are not good at it!

Let me get one thing straight, I am often wrong, probably about half of the time at least. It is hard to be wrong about things that you thought you were right about, that you were 100% sure of, the things that you treated like a stone path that you thought were a solid place to stand on.

I find that the people who have a sense of duty, who think they should 'be in the know,' often find it hardest to be wrong. And the people who advise, often find it hardest to receive advice. So many Christian men come into this category, the category of the 'ones in the right,' the ones who are orthodox (which literally means 'right thinking'). Inside their paradigm is an assurance of their own rightness, and when they share their faith they feel really good because they are educating people in the right ways that are so obvious to them but for some reason seem to be beyond most people.

As I am writing this, numerous names of people are popping into my consciousness, and leaving me with a sense of frustration that they think they are always right. But ironically as these people are coming to mind, I am reminded that I am the one here that is thinking 'I am right,' and they are wrong.

It seems to me that fundamental to the Christian faith is the concept of being wrong, of not knowing the right way, or not being able to walk in the right way if you do know it. Also fundamental to the Christian faith is the notion that the 'right way' is infinite in depth and application. In other words no matter how much of the 'right way' you know, you still have an infinite amount of the 'right way' to learn. And my point is that at the beginning of the 'right way' is the glaringly obvious realisation that you are wrong.

You are wrong. I am wrong, you are wrong, we are all wrong.

Now I could be wrong about this, but I don't think so as we tend to hold on tightly to being right because we want to protect what others think about us. The irony is that as we go to great lengths to justify ourselves and prove that someone else is in the wrong, we actually are seen as being a douche. The tighter we cling to the fact that we are right and good, the more we look wrong and bad.

Paradoxically, the reverse is also true: the more we let go of the fact that we have it together, that we are in the right, that we are good and noble people, the more we are seen to be humble, kind, and good. This is beautiful! It doesn't matter if you are a Christian or not, if you think you are above saying sorry, or being in the wrong, or not knowing, then you have yet to learn of the wonderful feeling of falling into grace. Not just the grace of God, but also into the grace of all the humble people who were made in God's likeness.

If you are too good for grace I understand, I'm sure you are right. But for everyone who can accept it, welcome to the fundamental block of faith in Christ: that you are wrong, and that sometimes you suck, and this is the perfect place to be.

Jared Diprose is a self-employed Artisan. He has a degree in Theology, and believes that words shape worlds. He is married to Sierra. You can see some of his work at http://www.jareddiprose.co.nz or on instagram '@jareddiprose'.

Jared Diprose's previous articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/jared-diprose.html

This article is courtesy of Press Service International and originally appeared on Christian Today New Zealand.