Cure for the "ism's"

I love my teenage son.  He's a joy to have around and I couldn't be a prouder father. But like most teenage sons, from time to time he is afflicted with that dreaded malady, teenage know-it-all-ism. Thankfully, I've found a wonderful defense in the battle against this dreaded disease: Google©.

My last opportunity to deploy this powerful weapon came just last week when I found my son standing before the open door of our kitchen refrigerator, hacking and coughing, broadcasting germs like an oscillating lawn sprinkler.

Dad: "Jordan! What do you think you are doing? You're going to get us all sick! Get out of the kitchen!"

Jordan (sounding authoritative and professorial):  "Dad,....sniffle, cough...don't you know that once symptoms of a cold start displaying themselves you are no longer contagious.  Coughing and sneezing are simply the body's way of clearing out the effects of a cold that has already run it's course. You can't get sick from it...wheez...sputter."

Dad (beginning to feel a little unsure of himself, starting his retreat):  "Well...Hmmm...that can't be right can it? But it kind of makes sense...I guess..."

Jordan (continuing his rummaging through the fridge): "So, dad....cough, sputter....there's nothing to...hack...worry about."

Dad (feeling suddenly empowered): "Wait a minute!  C'mon that can't be true. Let me check this out. I'm googling this one."

"Hmmm... Jordan,.it says here on WebMd that a cold is contagious from three days before the onset of symptoms and up to five to seven days after the onset of symptoms. What do you say to them beans!"

 Jordan (slinking out of the kitchen, acknowledging defeat): "Uhh...Oh...Hmmm...I guess I was wrong."

Slowly, cooly, like a gunslinger re-holstering his smoking colt 45, I close the lid to my laptop.  I could almost hear the background music to one of those old Clint Eastwood flicks. You know, the one we all try to whistle but can never get quite right.. Google© saved the west again. Or, at least my kitchen.

I can't be too hard on my son though.  Even as adults, we struggle with not only know-it-all-ism, but all kind of other "ism's" from time to time. Our human nature is often prone to believing it has all the answers, that it knows what is best.  Thankfully, we have a loving Father who has provided an even more powerful weapon than Google©.

In Hebrews 4:12 - 13 we read, "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account."

The cure for know-it-all-ism and all of the other "isms" of our human nature against which we battle?  God's Word. Immersing ourselves in it daily allows it to work in our hearts in concert with His Spirit that is in us, convicting us of what is true, and laying bare those areas of our lives that are diseased and in need of healing.

Proverbs 3:5-8 tells us to "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; 
fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones."

It's up in the air whether my son will grow to be a better man because his dad was adept at using a search engine. I have to admit I sure enjoy bursting his bubble from time to time though. 

There is no doubt, however, that submitting ourselves fearfully before the One who does indeed know it all, looking to Him, following His ways rather than our own, will bring us healing from all the "isms" to which our human natures are prone.  

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