Wisdom.

"A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you're looking down, you can't see something that's above you."

-C. S. Lewis

"Swallow your pride occasionally. It's nonfattening."

-Frank Tyger

"Pride is the only disease known to man that makes everyone sick except the one who has it."

-Buddy Robinson

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths. Don't be impressed with your own wisdom."

-Proverbs 3:5-7b

"Don't be impressed with your own wisdom."

Did you ever meet the guy or gal who knew absolutely everything there is to know about everything there is to know? There is usually a person like that who shows up at almost everything we do.

If it's a sport, this person played on the AAAAA Junior Olympic Team! If it's chemistry, he's got a lab in his attic and is presently reconstructing the Mother of Frankenstein. If it's an adult, she finally closed the deal on the twenty-sixth house in three days. If travel is the subject, they've been to Switzerland, Venezuela, New Guinea, Australia, Antarctica, Greenland, Russia, and recently signed up to be on the first space shuttle to visit The Black Hole Hotel somewhere out there. Tell the truth now: You are already thinking about one of your friends who has Been-There-Done-That-&-Much-More, right? Most people tire quickly around those who have done it all and are not very impressed with all their own wisdom and talk.

What I've found to be true with those who fit that description is that they always have a vivid imagination, can stretch the truth, and often don't even use the truth. They just want to make themselves look better than others. Unfortunately, they are the only people who are impressed with their wisdom. Maybe they stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night!

There's nothing wrong with wisdom. It's a gift from God to anyone who asks (James 1:5). A man who thinks he is wise by his own making is only fooling himself. His specialty is usually ignorance or foolishness in disguise. His mouth will always deceive him, however, and reveal his lack if wisdom. Proverbs 17:8 says it like this, "Even fools are thought to be wise when they keep silent; when they keep their mouths shut, they seem intelligent."

Now here's a word of wisdom for you. Did you notice that verse 7 in Proverbs 3 follows verses 5 and 6? That's for a reason. Our wisdom will not pass the tests of time and eternity. God's wisdom will. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths." Then God adds verse 7, "Don't be impressed with your own wisdom."

God wants us to see everything from his point of view. That's wisdom. A man wise in his own eyes will not see the things God sees. He will not know what God wants him to know because his trust will be in his own self-made wisdom, understanding, and ability to go through life his own way. Someone once said, "The problem with a self-made man is that he worships his creator." That would be pride.

In a nutshell, if we want all the blessings and directions God has to offer, we must trust in him with all our hearts, not in who we may think we are or what we may think we know. We must trust the wisdom of the Father who loves us and wants only the best for us. "Trusting oneself is foolish, but those who walk in wisdom are safe" (Proverbs 28:26).

Choose the safe route. Let the Father direct your life.