Humility and Wisdom

My kids are smarter than yours. How do I know? Simple logic:
  1. Let A = my kids; B = me; C = your kids 
  2. Truth: My kids (A) are smarter than I am (B).
  3. Truth: I (B) am smarter than your kids (C).
  4. Since A > B, and B > C, then A must be > C.
I might be generalizing a bit with point #3, but my kids are certain about point #2. While they don't say it, they constantly act like it is true.

When we try to engage them, such as when they are frustrated with schoolwork, they put up a mental and emotional "wall," refusing to allow us to enter their world and help them. They act like they don't want or need our help, being full of pride.

Based on the current teaching from Grace Church on Proverbs, I decided to start reading through this book with the kids. Chapter 1, verse 7 is really  pertinent to the pride issue:
"Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction."

What I tried to impress on them was the irony of how fools consider instruction. One would think that someone who is truly wise would not need instruction, while a foolish person would welcome it. But God teaches that it is the wise person who seeks wisdom, and the fool doesn't want anyone to speak truth into his life.

That is, the one who we think doesn't need more instruction (the wise) is actually the one who tries to grow in knowledge. And the one who we think most needs instruction (the fool) is actually the one who rebuffs the help of others.

When my children are full of pride and refuse our instruction, they think they are wise, but they are actually fools in God's eyes. When this happens, they need to repent of their pride, and put their faith in the One who gives wisdom and life.


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on 7/11/2011
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2 comments :

  1. RobJuly 14, 2011 at 10:35 PM

    Thanks for sharing and your insight on the problem behind the problem.

    If we could tag team parenting I would tag out to you a lot. And then when you went to tag me back in I'd stand in the corner hands under arms like Ric Flair used to do when he didn't want to wrestle one of the Road Warriors.

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  2. Joey EspinosaJuly 14, 2011 at 10:47 PM

    Funny you should say that. Because I'm working on a blog post based on something I read earlier this week, that made me realize how unqualified I am to be a parent.

    Love the Ric Flair analogy. I saw him wrestle live at Greenville Memorial, just before it was leveled. Yep, it was me and 3 other chemists at a pro wrestling event. I think we were wearing khakis and polo shirts.

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