Showing posts with label Remove Responsibility. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Remove Responsibility. Show all posts

Day 5: RIGHTEOUS (+ Reason Why #2)


Our Give-Away for Today!



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“Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.”
(Katie Evans’ e-mail tagline)


Why We G.R.I.P.E.

Continuing our exploration of the 5 goals of complaining+ (via the acronym G.R.I.P.E):

R = Remove Responsibility

Complaining is a natural language for “righting the wrongs” around us.

Especially for someone who analyzes their environment for imperfections, it’s an easy way to report – and then walk away from – problems.
Church pastors are often “blessed” by messangers who feel it their duty to report (but not actually do anything about) a major issue. 

Common lead-ins include:
  • “Someone needs to do something about…”  
  • "How hard would it be to actually..."
  • “It appears that nobody else has noticed…”
  • “I’m sure you have already noticed…” 

That last one carries an extra dig, because it implies that you have noticed but have failed to fix the problem.

These are classic Melancholy ways to Remove Responsibilty for the disappointing situation while simultaneously highlighting the disappointment.



The Fight to be Right
“A lot of my issues stem from feeling justified. [The other driver] cut me off and that was wrong, so I am right. Along with that, I want others to know and agree that the other party was wrong, and I was right.” (Patti)
  • I told you so!
  • Didn’t I say that?
  • I could have told you that.

Oh, how often and how badly I want to speak these words! Complete with mock-sincerity and wounded gestures (i.e. sarcasm).

And what I really want is to hear contrite responses that demonstrate recognition of my rightness. 


  • “I know, Mom. I should have listened to you.”
  • “Sweetheart, as always, you were right all along.”
  • “You such an expert, Mrs. G. I’m lucky you’re my teacher!”

Wanna guess how many times I’ve heard any of these rewarding concessions?  (Hint: You won’t need more than one hand...or finger, for that matter!)


You Have No Right to Make Me Wrong!
But if you’re right and I am, er, “less right,” you’d better step back. 

‘cause I’m gonna go all out to defend my right to be wr...wr...wr...(remember The Fonz?)…alternately valid. 
Admit that you’re right? You’ve got to be kidding!
Drop it and move on? No way!
  
I'd have to consider your point of view. And I'm far too wrapped up in my self.




My Self-Righteousness 


All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6)
Whether we’re cheerleading our rightness or avoiding wrongness, we are sick. 
Riddled by self-ishness, which starts in our hearts and works its way out.
Being destroyed from the inside out, insisting we look "all right."
Blind to the ugliness of our fight to be right.



Declared Righteous

(Can't view the image? Click here to download Romans 3:24)

Each time I re-read this verse, I am stunned anew.

"God...declares that we are righteous."

All of us are sick with self-ishness. 


"God...declares that we are righteous."

Every single thing we try to do right is totally messed up.
And yet,
with underserved kindness

"God...declares that we are [present tense] righteous."


Not that we will be [future tense] righteous, if we try so that we’ll be good enough.

"God...declares that we are righteous" right this very minute!


He did this [past tense] through Christ Jesus.

Why the Fight to be Right?


If God declares that you are righteous...


...why worry about people who won't admit you're right?


...why pour energy into people who think you're wrong?

Yet God, with undeserved kindness,

declares that we are righteous. 

He did this through Christ Jesus 

when He freed us from the penalty for our sins.



"What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? 
If God is for us, who can ever be against us?" (Romans 8:31)


If God is for you...


...why give authority to anyone but Him?




Try this today:  When the urge to be right (or not wrong) comes up, clench your right hand and release, praying, "Jesus, I give you my desire to be right and praise you for declaring me righteous!"


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Please leave a comment 

  • responding to today’s blog, and/or
  • sharing your Day #1-5 experience of replacing “baditude” with God’s word and gratitude, and/or
  • about anything else on your heart!

All drawings will be done this weekend once I'm back home!

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    (Catch up on any "Warm-Up Week" Blog Posts!)

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