When Truth Matters More Than Being Right: Finding Peace Through Honesty Before God - By Diran Avagyan

“He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” — Micah 6:8

I visited a patient yesterday — a true gentleman, a man of principles and values, with a kind smile and a spirit marked by gratitude and contentment despite many health challenges. He told me that he had changed his code status, signed his POLST, and updated his will. Then, with quiet assurance, he said, “I’m ready to check out anytime. I’ve had a full life — I’ve loved and been loved.”

There was no regret, no resentment, no fear, and no bitterness in his words. He could rest his head on the pillow with the calm and peace that come from a clear conscience and a grateful heart.

In life, our sense of justice — what we call “right” or “fair” — is filtered through personal experiences, emotions, wounds, and preferences. Bias often lets us see only one side of the coin. Because of that, the pursuit of righteousness can easily turn into self-righteousness. We convince ourselves that our view is the correct one and defend our opinions as if they were divine truth.

True righteousness, however, is not about being right in our own eyes, but about being right before God. It means having the humility to examine ourselves, the honesty to admit when we’re wrong, and the courage to be fair and compassionate even when it challenges our pride. When we seek justice that flows from love rather than ego, we find a peace far deeper than the restless desire to always be right.

Tonight, before we lay our heads on the pillow, let us ask ourselves: Am I at peace with God, with others, and with myself?

Like that gentleman I met, may we also come to the end of each day — and ultimately, the end of our days — with peaceful hearts, a clear conscience, and gratitude for a life well-lived. For it is not self-righteousness that grants such peace, but true righteousness before God, the kind that lets us rest our heads each night without fear, regret, or pride.