We all have that friend, neighbor, coworker or family member who is convinced they know everything. They always have answers, and when something arises that they don’t understand, you better get out of the way. Belittlement is coming and fast!

Jude warns us about these people in his letter: “Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct — as irrational animals do — will destroy them” (Jude 1:10).

Like the know-it-alls we face today, people were setting themselves in positions of authority by claiming to have special knowledge. In this case, they claimed to have secret understanding about God that others couldn’t possibly comprehend.

The truth is nobody on earth fully understands everything about God. God, by His nature, is beyond comprehension, so He chose to reveal Himself to all of us through the Bible and through His Son, Jesus.

The great thing about being a follower of Jesus is that we’re not expected to be know-it-alls.  Even the most devoted Christians cannot grasp all there is to know about God. The point of studying the Bible and coming to church isn’t to figure God out but to fall deeper in love with Him.

If we’ll spend less time worrying what God is doing and more time learning who He is, our understanding of His character will grow. As it does, we’ll find ourselves like Jude — better equipped to face the circumstances we don’t understand and more confident in our ability to identify lies when we hear them.

Reflect:

• Have you ever felt outwitted in an argument or discussion about faith? What did you learn from that experience?
• What are two to three things you learned about God’s character from what you read today?
• Is there anything you’re struggling to understand that you need to surrender to God? If so, what is it?