The older I get, the more intentional I become. There was a time when achievement was a driving force; today, that force is simply “becoming.” At one time, arriving as quickly as possible was a driving force; now, the driving force is returning home safely.
One of the clear challenges of shepherding clueless pre-teens into well-adjusted adults is coping with independence.
Watching my children manage the maturing of my grandchildren clearly takes me back to our wobbling efforts to manage the maturing of our children. That, in turn, reminds me of the chaos of my parents trying to manage my maturation. (They gave me their best effort, but it was marrying Jan that facilitated the most change in my character.)
My most repeated resistance was this line: “You don’t know what it is like to be a teenager today.” Or, “You just don’t really know me.” The implication is that the problem was theirs, not mine. They needed to change, not me. I was right, and they were clueless. I “know”; they did not. They knew, from their experience, that they were right. I knew, by my feelings, that I was right.
The far greater percentage of Believers I have dealt with over the years still runs on the personal conviction that what they feel is truth. Further, 100% of the non-Believers I have interacted with are certain that their life operating procedures are pretty much flawless. That is why we have a preset selection mode to be with people who are “like-minded” with us; they confirm our “rightness.” This gives us the feeling that we are acceptable and normal.
All this confronted me while reflecting on Ephesians. I am not a real scholar; I rely on the scholarship of others. I’m more of a gatherer, a gleaner. One of the scholars I have come to depend upon is “abarim-publications.com.” There, Greek words are thoroughly defined. Yes, it is a little tedious and often overwhelming to research. As I read Ephesians, I have started keeping a vocabulary list of the words that stand out to me. Since January 1, I have progressed only to the eighth verse of the first chapter.
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding.
I was curious about the meaning of the word translated as “wisdom.” (I have recently written a blog post titled, “What is Wisdom?”)
In the Abarim Publications article, there was a reference to “The Dunning-Kruger Effect.” I never heard of it. The praise is attached to a study done in 1999 at Cornell University.
The pair of researchers tested participants on their logic, grammar, and sense of humor, and found that those who performed in the bottom quarter rated their skills far above average. Their conclusion in a single sentence: “Those with limited knowledge in a domain suffer a dual burden: Not only do they reach mistaken conclusions and make regrettable errors, but their incompetence robs them of the ability to realize it.” *
A not-so-hidden arrogance exists in the family of God. Regrettably, I am a part of it. The unchurched are justified when they ask, “If God is one, why are there so many denominations?” Every single faithful member of every known variation of the Church is convinced they are the most authentic representation of the Body of Christ. They may not think they are flawless, but they do think they are closer than others to the original idea. We seem most confident where we are least competent. For instance, we are vociferous in proclaiming “Glory to God!” But we have little more than a clue about what giving glory means, looks like, or how to do it.
Most of us readily and humbly confess that we don’t know everything. But we also trust that what we do know makes us better than the average Believer. We easily place our confidence in our shadowy incompetence that binds us to the deficient results of vanity-driven decision-making. In other words, we become skilled at masking our delinquent immaturity.
Psalm 139:23-24
Examine me, O God, and know my mind.
Test me, and know my thoughts.
See whether I am on an evil path.
Then lead me on the everlasting path. (GOD’S WORD Translation)
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*Psychology Today – Understanding the Dunning-Kruger Effect
Photo – Behind a waterfall in Savage Gulf State Park near Beersheba Springs, TN.
