Psalm 14:1 The fool says in his heart,
    “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
    there is no one who does good.

I couldn’t begin to count how many times I heard or read the first line of this verse quoted, and I’ve done it quite a few times myself. It fits in perfectly with that famous verse from Proverbs: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10) It is entirely logical that rejection of God is the very definition of foolishness. In both Japanese and English, shifting the beginning quotation mark also makes sense: The fool says, “In his heart there is no God.” The greatest wisdom is welcoming our Creator in, to sit on the throne of our heart. These days we carry around “smart phones” that give us access to all human knowledge, if we know how to use them. Of how much greater value is it to “carry around” God, who is the source of all true wisdom? Foolishness is on full display, with people insisting boldly various things that are at total odds with reality, but God is always just a heartbeat away. However, the key to “accessing” Him, as we might access the Internet, is humility and repentance. (2-factor authentication, anyone?) Humility seems to be in short supply, and too many avoid repentance at all cost. Simply saying, “I was wrong,” would help get us out of so many problems, but we hate to do it! The thing is, we are quick to recognize foolishness in others, but fail to recognize it in ourselves. Consistent, even constant, turning to God to seek and listen to Him is far and away the wisest course for mankind, but we so seldom take that path!

I was blessed with both a high IQ and a home environment that led toward faith in God, but that didn’t guarantee wisdom by any means. I believed in God, but mostly kept Him in the background. Nowadays, I pass by a bus stop and everyone there has their nose in their phone. I should have been that way toward God! Instead, I rejoiced to absorb information, but I let it swell me up, instead of grow me. As Paul said, “Knowledge puffs up while love builds up.” (1 Corinthians 8:1) I was already a married father when the Lord showed me, for a brief instant, the state of my own soul, and I collapsed in repentance. I am so grateful He did that! My progress since then hasn’t been entirely steady, but at least I’ve been headed in the right direction. I still delight to learn and know stuff, but at least I know that God’s smart and I’m not! What I need to know most is more of Him, keeping myself fully submitted and committed to Him. As my father used to tell people, “Give all you know of yourself to all you know of Christ.” By His grace I hope to know more and more of myself, and more and more of my Lord, keeping all of me committed to all of Him.

Father, thank You for Your incredible patience with me. Help me respond to You as You desire, growing as You intend, so that Your will may be done in and through me for Your glory. Thank You. Hallelujah!