Can a person be too smart?

Most of us think that intelligence is a good thing. Those who lack it struggle with life. Those who have an above average IQ may not, but they are at a disadvantage. For instance, can be too easy to assume that knowing God is not important.

I grew up with praise for good marks in school and a strong emphasis on being smart. Medals and awards did not lessen my quest to always be learning. However, the negatives outweigh the positives. For one thing, my class mates expected achievement and if I didn’t make it, they ridiculed me. This soon became my value system; I had to be excellent in school and was driven to serious study so that I would feel accepted.

After being a Christian for decades, I realize a large part of God’s training has been to show me that I am not as smart as I thought and that being without knowledge is an advantage. In the wisdom of God, He wants His people to realize that He is the source of wisdom and knowledge, not we ourselves, our IQ or our education:

“The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.” (Psalm 119:130)

This verse and others like it reveal that God reveals wisdom and understanding to those who are not stuck on their own brain power.

“For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:26–29)

How foolish to boast about intellect before Almighty God. When He spoke to Job, His first question was: “Have you an arm like God, and can you thunder with a voice like his?” (Job 40:9) Of course no one is like God who knows all things, including the number of hairs on my head! (Matthew 10:30)

The wisdom to live with grace and power comes from God. He not only created us but gave us an “owner’s manual” that gives us true spiritual life and instruction on how to live it.

“The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.” (Psalm 19:7)

By reading the Word of God He has shown me that, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.” (John 3:27)

As Tozer says, “Divine truth is of the nature of the Holy Spirit, and for that reason it can be received only by spiritual revelation.” None of the wisdom of God is available to the simple or to the genius unless the Holy Spirit reveals it. This is one reason why John wrote, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30) Unless I decrease in thinking of myself above what I ought to think, Jesus and His great wisdom will not increase in my life.

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?’ For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:33–36)

^^^^^^^^^^^

Oh Jesus, I’ve been so slow to learn that it is not only okay to be of a simple-mind but this also gives me a distinct advantage — You reveal things to me that I could never figure out by my own reasoning. Thank You. May the wisdom You grant always be credited to the One who gave it. May I glorify You forever!

Truth is revealed

November 15, 2008 in Seoul, November 14 at home

Yesterday we went for a two hour walk around a man-made lake surrounded by a large park. Both did not appear to be man-made, but as if they had been there by nature. Even in November, with fallen leaves and fading fall color, the park is lovely. I cannot imagine what it would be like in spring with the trees and flowers in bloom.

Later we spent a little while visiting with our granddaughter. She had a full day of exercise and teaching. Our conversation ran to Korean television. While there are several English programs, the majority of what we can find are Korean game shows. Our granddaughter finds them puzzling. “They do silly things and find them hilarious. My friends laugh too, and I just don’t understand what is so funny.”

Not knowing enough Korean to offer any response, I said that it would be interesting to study the humor of different cultures and find out what makes people laugh. She agreed, but the humor here remains a puzzle.

This morning I read the parable of the sower, or the parables of the soils as it is sometimes called. Jesus relates this to the multitudes, then when He and His disciples are alone, they ask about it. He says, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables. . .” (Mark 4:11)

This is almost the same as the puzzle over Korean humor. Because of their background and position in this culture, Koreans see the funny side of things that do not seem funny at all to us. In the same way, because of their position in the kingdom of God, Christians see the reality of things that make no sense at all to people outside the kingdom.

The parable is Jesus’ way of illustrating truth so that only those who belong to Him can understand it, even though the language and the stories themselves are not complicated. He does this so that these truths are hidden to those without faith. That way, no one can claim the forgiveness He offers without first having faith in Him. That might not make sense, yet apart from faith, salvation is not possible and understanding the plan of salvation is not possible. If a person could understand by their intellect alone, faith would be unnecessary.

In other words, salvation and understanding spiritual things is not entirely a matter of human intellect and understanding. If it were, then the wise of this world would have an edge over those with lower intelligence. Instead, salvation requires an element outside of my IQ. I need the Holy Spirit to enlighten my mind and reveal truth to me. That cannot happen unless there is faith to believe it.

Even faith is not my doing; it is a gift of God (see Ephesians 2:8-9) and comes by hearing the Word of God. I cannot simply decide to believe something apart from the work of God in my spirit to give me faith.

Those who believe in Jesus and are part of His kingdom have no trouble with parables, just like those who live in Korea and are part of this culture have no trouble with Korean humor. Outsiders might be able to imitate them, pretend they understand, even laugh along with them, but unless enlightened, the game shows, like the parables, remain a mystery.