How Smart Are You?

a picture of John Ed Mathison standing in front of a tech conference banner, holding a bottle of smart water and an apple iphone, in order to illustrate the tongue-in-cheek point he's making about spiritual smartness

HOW SMART ARE YOU?

Someone once said, “A little learning can be a dangerous thing.” I’ve experienced that personally in some things that I’ve done or my friends have done. A little learning doesn’t make anyone smart.

This is so evident in the church, where people like to talk about things they don’t know much about. Everyone wants to be an expert. I recently read an article from the Church of England that reported on some answers given to Sunday school questions about the Bible:

Noah’s wife was called Joan of Ark.
The fifth commandment is “Humor they father and mother.”
When Mary heard she was to be the mother of Jesus, she went off and sang the Magna Carta.
Salome was a woman who danced in front of Harrod’s (a London department store.)
A republican is a sinner mentioned in the Bible.
Lot’s wife was a pillar of salt by day, but a ball of fire at night.

I’ve heard worse answers in some Methodist churches! Some teaching makes things clear—some teaching gets things confused. Some people in the church try to appear smart by exerting a sense of authority.

At a church meeting one night, someone stood up and made a motion that they buy a chandelier for the sanctuary. Another man stood up and opposed it for 2 reasons: (1) nobody could play it, and (2) what they really needed was to use that money to buy more lights for the sanctuary!

A man was operating a backhoe. As he was clearing for a building, he came across a cable. He wasn’t sure if he should cut it or not. He asked the foreman, and the foreman said it looked like it would be okay—it looked like a dead cable. But the foreman said, “I better check with our electrical engineer.” The engineer came over and examined it and said, “It’s okay to cut it, it’s a dead cable.” The foreman said, “Are you sure?” The engineer said, “Well, I’m pretty sure.” The foreman then said to the engineer, “Okay, if you’re sure, then you go ahead and cut it.” The engineer looked at him and said, “I’m not that sure.”

There are some things in life that we need to know for sure. I believe that you need to know for sure that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior, that He lives in your heart, and you will live with Him in heaven forever. To be smart, you need to know that for sure. Also be sure that you know the purpose He has for your life, and how He wants to express his Love through you every day for all His children. Be smart—know that!

I’m living in Montgomery, Alabama, which is one of the five cities in the United States designated as a “Smart City.” I drink smart water, use a smartphone, and watch a smart TV.” All those smart things don’t make me smart! The most important way to get smart is to know about our relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

a picture of John Ed Mathison standing in front of a tech conference banner, holding a bottle of smart water and an apple iphone, in order to illustrate the tongue-in-cheek point he's making about spiritual smartness

Paul was smart because he knew for sure—”I know Him in whom I have believed…and I am persuaded beyond any doubt that He is able to guard that which I have entrusted to Him until that day when I stand before Him.” (2 Tim 1:12 AMP)

How smart are you?

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