Proverbs 5:21 – For the Lord sees clearly what a man does, examining every path he takes. (NLT)

Every class I took in college seemed to have one.

Know-it-alls are people who think that they know it all. During my college tenure, there was at least one in every class. They were the ones who quickly raised their hands when the professor asked a question that he thought no one should know. With a smirky smile, they bellowed their answers and were proud of them — even when they were wrong. They were the ones who prided themselves in asking difficult questions of the professors, thinking that they might be able to stump the one who was supposed to know everything. And they loved to brag … on themselves.

I never enjoyed hanging around with know-it-alls. Their pompous attitudes got in the way of my having any meaningful conversation or relationship with them. A friendly "How are you?" was the most that I could manage. Inside, I felt sorry for them when the professors put them in their place or when I saw others avoiding them because of their attitude. There were times when I knew more than they did, but I wouldn't answer because I didn't want to be perceived as a know-it-all myself.

But there is one know-it-all that I choose to have a relationship with: God. We define His ability to know it all as omniscience. Just as He is all powerful and can be all places at the same time, so He also has the capacity to know the past, present, and future — as well as all of the possibilities that never materialize.

This trait of God is comforting. When I'm down in the dumps, He knows. When the financial crunch crunches, He knows. When the relationship sours, He knows. When the test grade bombs, He knows. Not only does He know the facts, but He also knows the whys behind the facts. He knows how to get me through the financial messes, the soured relationships, the difficult assignments, the tough work atmospheres, and the emotional upsets.

I make a habit of avoiding know-it-alls, but not God. He's not pompous or self-focused. He wants to help me through life's tough spots, and He will if I ask.

Don't wait for life to go downhill before you consult God. He's the know-it-all Who knows it all and wants to help you every day and with every detail.

Prayer: Father, as our heavenly Know-it-all, prompt us to come to You with all of life's episodes — good and bad. Amen.

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About the author:

Martin Wiles <mandmwiles@gmail.com>
Greenwood, South Carolina, USA
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