Wise Guy?

Proverbs 26:12 "Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?  There is more hope for a fool than for him."

We have seen them, we have heard them, and we know them, the wise guys and the wise girls who seem to know it all.  From sports to parenting, from politics to dating, from preaching to shopping, they seem to have all the answers, and love to enlighten all who would listen.  I was in a bagel shop the other day and overheard two buddies sharing their vast wisdom on everything.  First they discussed how to make I-Phones better, they then moved on to how to make the New York Yankees better, from there they debated how to make some other guy's marriage better.  I unfortunately had to leave as they were fixing the economy.  The above proverb is so profound as it rebukes the worst kind fool, the fool who thinks he is wise.  The placement of this verse is perfect in that it kind of sets you up for the truth to smack you between the eyes.  In the first eleven verses Solomon rails on fools.  By verse eleven it is easy to get angry at fools, you begin to apply the verses to those you consider fools, and you begin to thank God that you are not a fool.  Just when you are feeling pretty good about your own wisdom, the devastating truth of verse twelve hits you, there is more hope for a fool, then for someone who thinks he is wise.  Ouch!  Yes, the truth hits close to home, and the truth does hurt.  We are taught that true wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 1:7).  I must recognize that I don't have my act together, I don't have all the answers, and I am in desperate need of the Lord's wisdom.  As much as I may not want to admit it, I must settle this as fact, I am a dunce without the Lord.  To walk in wisdom today and everyday, we must humble or foolish hearts, and be set to listen to and obey our God who alone is wise (1 Timothy 1:17).