Dead Right

Growing up in West Texas, this story feels all too familiar in many ways. Picture this: an older gentleman in his beaten-up old pickup truck speeding down a dusty backroad, kicking up a cloud behind him. He seems completely unaware that he's quickly approaching a major highway, and there's a stop sign in his path.

At the same time, Joe is driving his shiny new car and heading toward the same intersection. Joe notices the old man has a stop sign to obey and assumes he'll stop. Confident that he has the right of way, Joe continues at full speed. However, as they both near the intersection, the old man in the pickup isn't slowing down.

Joe becomes frustrated, and it quickly turns into anger. "He'd better stop!" Joe mutters to himself, firmly believing the old man must yield since he has the right of way. But as the old man shows no sign of slowing, Joe's frustration escalates. He starts to feel more aggressive, telling himself he's in the right—so why should he be the one to slow down? Joe is so focused on being right that he doesn't consider that something might be wrong with the old man—maybe he's having a medical emergency or simply isn't aware of the danger.

In the end, they both reach the intersection at the same time. The inevitable happens—a horrific crash. Joe loses his life because he insists on being right. We may never know the old man’s fate, but we do know both lose.

This story reminds me of how many times I've been "right," winning a small battle but losing a much bigger war. Sometimes, insisting on being right can be dangerous, especially when I don't consider the other person's perspective or what the results will be if I persist. I may risk losing far more than I gain when I hold on to my righteousness.

How about you? Have you ever been dead right winning an argument and losing a friend or a lover?

Watch for the blind spots.

Get a copy of Blind Spots in Relationships. Discover the hidden behavior that could be holding you back from the relationships you desire. http://tinyurl.com/yc3usfsp