Don't Get "Too Smart"
By Bradley, AZ
Everyone has a weakness. In some cases, the weakness is a susceptibility to a particular sin: a short temper, impatience, sexual immorality, and so on. In other cases, that weakness may be something that most people would consider a strength. In my particular case, my weakness is what I’m best known for, my central attribute: intelligence.
People treat intelligence like something of an absolute win-win. What could possibly be the downside to being smart? In reality, it is truly both a blessing and a curse. Certainly, good grades are nothing to complain about, but those who solicit me for my grades must not have received the memo (would they like some cheese with that whine?). Regardless, one can deal with the usual jealous groans and mumbles; that’s their fault, not mine. The real problem lies deeper.
God warns us that human logic is flawed, that those who rely on it cannot understand his Word. Yet despite his infinite wisdom, it is all too easy to become too dependent on one’s own reasoning. After all, human logic has conquered the moon, discovered nuclear energy, and virtually eliminated smallpox. What can’t we do? Who needs some God telling us what to do? Human logic hasn’t failed us yet; if our brains and God’s infinite wisdom disagree, well, you know who’s wrong, and it sure isn’t us!
How foolish, how vainglorious this attitude is! To compare mortal judgment to the almighty God’s omniscient wisdom can only be explained one way: moronic pride. Even the animals know that God is never wrong. Yet they don’t have the shortcoming we humans have: intelligence, and its subsequent offspring, foolish pride.
Pride is a problem for everyone, but for those of us termed “smart”, it is an epidemic. I’m not talking about bragging or showing off to friends. While that occurs from time to time, it is politically incorrect and not very common. Rather, the real problem is a dependence on human reasoning, and an inborn vendetta with almighty God. The same pride that entices countless, otherwise brilliant scientists to believe the foolery that is evolution is also working to turn us against God’s infallible truth. To the human brain, it seems too easy that we’re saved by no merit of our own. Don’t we have to do something? Shouldn’t we earn it? 1 Corinthians 1:18 says, "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God."
Similarly, how could one being, even God, create everything in the universe in six days? Shouldn’t it have taken some long, tedious process of random mutations over millions of years? When we begin to question Creation, we are going down a very dangerous road.
Once we put human logic above God’s omniscience, we are placing our intelligence above God’s. In general, the more intelligent one is, the more vulnerable he or she is to this rationale. In this way, intellect is both blessing and bane.
Satan would love for each and every one of us to fall prey to our own minds. He works especially hard on those of us with a tendency to trust logic. Myself, I must remain vigilant against the proclivity to rely on myself rather than God. After all, isn’t trusting God the logical thing to do?