Right About Now: Pride, Irony, and the Cost of Being Right
Country music has a way of telling on us. It’s honest. It sings about heartbreak, mistakes, joy, and regret. Curtis Grimes, a Texas native, husband, father, and award-winning country artist, has lived enough of it to know what he’s singing about.
Grimes’s story is one of second chances. Once a rising star chasing the party scene, he hit a breaking point where he realized he had all the success but none of the peace. In his words, he was “a horrible representation of a Christian” until a gospel song on the radio reminded him that God hadn’t given up on him. He rededicated his life, reshaped his music, and now uses his platform to share hope through faith-based country. He’s earned chart-topping singles and Texas Country Music Association awards, but more importantly, he’s found purpose: to encourage people with songs that point to grace, redemption, and truth.
His track “Right About Now” is the perfect example. On the surface, it’s about a man who won an argument but lost the woman he loved. He “stood on principle,” made his case, “litigated” and he was right. But while he’s at home polishing his pride, she’s “out on the town,” and by the end, he’s left with nothing but the hollow taste of victory.
It’s ironic, it’s heartbreaking, and it’s profoundly biblical.
The Irony of Pride
• “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18)
• “One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.” (Proverbs 29:23)
Pride feels strong. It feels like standing your ground. But the Bible warns us that pride doesn’t lift us up, it brings us low. The man in the song is right in the argument, but wrong in the relationship. The irony is that his victory cost him everything he actually wanted.
The Wisdom of Humility
• “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)
• “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12)
Humility doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means you value love more than your ego. Sometimes the strongest words you can speak in a marriage or relationship are the hardest: I’m sorry.
The world tells us to “stick to our guns.” Jesus tells us to lay them down and pick up grace.
Arguments That Don’t Heal
• “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” (Proverbs 15:1)
• “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.” (Ephesians 4:26–27)
The man in the song made a solid case — “you sure told her, ha, yeah you did.” But what did it fix? Nothing. His words were sharp enough to win the fight but not soft enough to heal the heart. Scripture reminds us that a gentle answer can do far more than a clever argument.
The Cost of Being Right
• “Be not quick in your spirit to become angry, for anger lodges in the heart of fools.” (Ecclesiastes 7:9)
Here’s the bitter irony: you can win the battle and lose the war. You can be right and still be wrong. You can cling to pride and end up alone. The song paints the picture: while he’s proud of his stand, she’s gone, and his pride becomes the loneliest company in the world.
The Gospel Remedy
The irony of Curtis Grimes’ song is also the irony of the gospel. We thought strength was in pride, but Jesus showed strength in humility. We thought life was found in holding on, but Jesus showed life comes in letting go.
In marriage, in friendship, in faith, the truth is the same:
• Pride will cost you more than it gives.
• Humility will bless you more than it costs.
• And sometimes the best way to be “right” is to choose love over being right.
So the next time you feel like sticking to your guns, remember. Jesus laid down His life, not because He was wrong, but because He was right, and He loved us more than His pride.
Beyond the Song: A Life of Faith
Curtis Grimes’s life is itself a testimony. He’s a singer, songwriter, husband, and father who decided that no amount of spotlight was worth losing his soul. In choosing to honor God, he found true success. Not just in music charts, but in a meaningful life that impacts others for good.
Another of his songs, “Noah Built a Boat”, captures the spirit of stepping out in faith. It challenges us to ask: What “boat” is God calling me to build? Maybe it’s a dream you’ve put off, a relationship you need to repair, or a new direction entirely. Whatever it is, if God is in it, don’t let doubt or naysayers stop you. When God opens a door, He’ll lead you through. You just have to take that first step.