The wise shall inherit glory (all honor and good) but shame is the highest rank conferred on [self-confident] fools. Proverbs 3:35

Over the years, I’ve worked with several groups of young people. Something happens to them from 12 to 15 years old. Wow, it’s like night and day! One moment, they are all ears and “directable.” Then all of a sudden, you are dumb and they know everything.

What’s crazy is they think they’re normal and they’ve always been smarter than you. They have no clue that in about ten short years, they will wake up from this fairy tale when life starts to “pack a punch” and realize maybe they don’t know as much as they thought.

Whether I am young or old enough to know better, self-confident pride is a great way to provoke what my grandmother called a “bought lesson” from Big Daddy God! And here’s the reason why. He loves you. No parent or caring adult wants to see even the foolish of kiddos utterly destroy themselves all for the sake of being right.
At some point, the bluff will be called and a day of reckoning will happen. Then the One who really knows will let you know! Personally, I’ve seen some of those days. . . and these days, I prefer the wiser response, “I don’t seem to know, Lord. Please help me. Oh, and thanks ahead of time!”