Lenten Devotion: Giving Up the Right to be “Right” (John 10:22-42)
Day 26 – 3 Apr 2025
Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.” John 10:25-26
I love going to Malaysia whenever I can, enjoying the peace of long drives. On one of these trips, I decided to reconnect with an aunt I hadn’t seen in a while – a quiet, long-suffering woman who cared for my grandmother in her final days.
Another of my aunt had arranged over a phone call for her to join us on a day trip to Malacca. However, when we reached her house, she was nowhere to be found. When she finally returned home, she seemed surprised to see us. Both my aunts then got into an argument about the earlier arrangements.
As I listened to their exchange, I was struck by how the same phone conversation had splintered into two completely different realities in their minds—each convinced of their own version of the truth. The dispute only died down when my quiet and long-suffering aunt simply smiled and relented, “Perhaps I misheard.”
That incident left a deep impression on me. If pride ignites conflict, then humility extinguishes it.
Humility is not just about quietness or passivity – it often involves a courage to let go. One of the most profound ways humility manifests is in relinquishing our right to be “right”.
The Jews had gathered around Jesus, seemingly seeking the truth of whether he was indeed the Messiah. Yet when he revealed who he was, they were enraged and even attempted to stone him. This was despite Jesus performing many miracles proving his identity. They held on to their right to be “right”.
Pride drives down an irrational path of proving others wrong and ourselves right. It is the root of many conflicts we face in life. But pride does more than provoke conflict; if left untamed, it leads to blindness of the mind and deafness to the truth. In the case of the Jews, it blinded them to an obvious truth, even at the cost of their own salvation.
In contrast, humility is an inner posture of openness to listen, learn, and consider others as more worthy than oneself. It is a quiet strength that does not seek recognition or praise, but rather elevates others, placing their needs and well-being above one’s own.
Let us, in humility, open our ears to God’s voice and our hearts to his truth today.
How Seok Li🙏✝️