Are You Smarter Than God?

Are we better than God? Are we smarter than God? Do we know better than God? Few would say that out right, but many of us, even Christians, live like we believe it in some way.

Part of that comes out in our desire to serve ourselves. In doing that we are ignoring or rejecting God’s command to serve others first.

Philippians 2:3-4 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

Matthew 20:25-28 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

How many times do we have the choice to put someone else first but we choose ourselves? We obey our selfish desires instead of God’s command to put off selfishness and serve others. Jesus’ purpose was to serve others, are we better than He that we demand others to serve us? Or at least insist that we can or should serve ourselves first?

Matthew 22:36-40 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

Every law that God has given us is dependant on loving either God or another person. All ten commandments fall under one of those categories. Yet how many times do we choose instead to love ourselves?

1 Corinthians 13:5 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

[Love] does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,

This verse lists 4 things love does not do, 4 things that are self-centered actions. Love is not selfish, self serving or self motivated. We are commanded to love others which means we are commanded to not act selfishly, but how often do we do that? We are choosing our way instead of God’s which means that we are acting on the belief that we know best, that we are more important because we are putting ourselves first.

Romans 13:1-2 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves.

This obedience includes obedience to earthly authority. How often do we ignore traffic/workplace laws or household rules because they are inconvenient, illogical or unnecessary? That is acting as if we are better than the authority that put that law into place, which is also acting as if we are better than God, because He gave them that authority and put us under it.

Philippians 4:6 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

This example is more subtle. On the surface, it doesn’t seem to have anything to do with who is better or smarter, but just with every day life. Yet, we are commanded not to worry. When we worry we are being disobedient. And when we worry, it is because we are concerned that things won’t work out the way we want them to. We are not trusting that God’s way is best. In short, we think we know better, or we know how it should happen, and if it doesn’t happen that way we worry. Through worry we show that we think we know what is best for us better than God does. We look at a situation and decide how it should happen and when it doesn’t we get upset because we think we know best. We don’t trust that God knows what He is doing and His way is best for us.

The root of all of this is pride, putting ourselves above God in some way. It is a very dangerous place to be. It is what caused satan to be cast out of heaven.

James 4:6 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

We need to remember who we are and where we have come from.

Genesis 3:19 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

By the sweat of your face
You will eat bread,
Till you return to the ground,
Because from it you were taken;
For you are dust,
And to dust you shall return.

We also need to remember who God is; our Creator, Sustainer, Provider, Healer, Deliverer, Savior, etc.

Job 33:4 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

The Spirit of God has made me,
And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

Psalm 139:13 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.

We could not even exist without God, He created us. Every breath we breathe comes from Him. He knows everything that has and will happen. He has control over everything. He is everywhere. How could we possibly think we could compare with Him? (Read Job 38-41 for more examples.) He can even take the worst circumstance and turn it into a blessing!

Romans 8:28 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Examine your life. In what ways or areas do you act as if you are smarter or know better than God? When do you repeatedly disobey authority of any kind? Where in your life do you try to maintain control? When are you prone to worry? Where do you feel as if you did something in your own strength, apart from God? Repent of this pride and ask God to clean it out. Ask Him to help you see Him and yourself as you truly are.