I Told You So

As seen in the HEARTbeat and Village Voice

“I Told You So!”

            Oh, if I heard that come out of my younger brother’s mouth once, I heard it a thousand times.  And of course, there was my older sister who would be the know-it-all and say it just as many times.  I on the other hand was the good sibling and was already with an encouraging word and never one that would heap ignorance on my siblings!  I can imagine the smirk you have on your face at this very moment, and you would be right.  Don’t believe my self-righteousness proclamation for a minute!

            You must admit, we’ve all said, “I told you so” several times.  We were right in our position and had to tell the opposing person about our correctness.  More importantly verbalizing the phrase conveys the opposing person that they what?  Yes, wrong!

            We have to be right about everything, or at least some people must.  I heard a radio personality admit the other day while listening to their show how freeing it is to admit his incorrectness.  He said there is a feeling of peace when he admits his mistakes.  Interesting.

            Biblically, should we admit our mistakes?  What causes us to hang onto our positions so adamantly even though we know there is a possibility we could be wrong?  Does our ego and pride blind us from the truth?  Proverbs 16:18 (NIV) plainly says, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before the fall.”  We cause our own blindness as a result of our pride, which according to scripture is a dangerous thing.  What are we sacrificing as a result of our prideful spirits?

             As Jesus prepared to enter Jerusalem on the first day of the Festival of Passover (Palm Sunday), He wept over Jerusalem.  He said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.”  The pride of the Pharisees had driven the masses in Jerusalem to be blinded to the truth of who Jesus really was!

            How blinded were the apostles on the Day of First Fruits (Resurrection Sunday)?  Was it pride that blinded them to the fact Jesus had risen from the grave and His body not stolen in the night?  I tell you it wasn’t pride, but fear that stifled their ability to reason.

            They had scattered in the garden when Jesus was arrested.  They stood in the crowd as the masses yelled, “Give us Barabbas!”  They lived in fear for the next three days after they saw what the Roman officials did to Jesus at the behest of the Pharisees.  John ran ahead of Peter to the tomb on that Sunday morning.  He stopped at the entrance.  Why?  Fear?  Peter went in – all the way in.  But did they believe or was fear still gripping them?  And where did Jesus find them that very evening?  In the upper room, huddled in fear, afraid they were next, even after hearing, “I told you so” from the women who saw Jesus on the path that morning.

            Pause next time when you have the overwhelming urge to say, “I told you so” and let the Holy Spirit guide the words from your mouth.  It could be the only example of Jesus the person in front of you will ever see, or hear!