A True Know-It-All

(Originally posted 12/6/2008)

My son Jackson is 8 years old. And he knows everything. At least, that's how it is in his own mind. But more than an average of once a day, I find myself reminding him that he does not, indeed, know everything. Yet, he continues to tell Carissa and me (and Parker) how the world works.

Sometimes, he's right. Sometimes, he's not. But it's not so much the fact that he thinks he knows everything. I want him to be confident in his knowledge. I want him to think he can know anything, that he can learn anything, that he can do anything. What gets to me is the prideful attitude that often accompanies that knowledge.

And as I look at him now, I finally understand the frustration my dad had when I was 8 (and 9, and 10, and 11, and...). And to a very, very small degree, I think I understand the frustration that God must feel every day with every one of us.

But here's the deal that I have to remind myself (not just my 8 year old son). No matter where I am in life; no matter how much life experience I have, I don't know it all. None of us does. We don't have the slightest clue.

Yet, at least in my own life, I think I know. I think I know what's best for me. I think I know how to please God (as if pleasing God was some noble pursuit that could earn me points with him). I think I know where I need to be and what I need to do.

But if I were completely honest, the only things I know are those things God has shown me. Some of that knowledge comes from life experience - through relationships and successes and failures. Some of that knowledge comes from learning - through reading and studying and observing. But ALL of that knowledge is only possible through God - through the opportunities that he gives me and what he shows me.

So as I go through life, I don't want to act like a know-it-all. Instead, I want to remain thankful for the knowledge God gives me. Because there isn't a know-it-all in the world (not even one who's 8 years old) that can give me what God can.