Wise in our own eyes

Now that's a pretty smug person...one who is wise in his own eyes.

There is little that is more disheartening than watching someone who is filled with confidence in his ability to make everything turn out right...unless it is watching a young bride-to-be who knows that her future mister truly is a perfect Prince Charming.

Is there a difference between optimistic confidence and arrogance? I think there probably is, but it can be a fine line in some people. To define arrogance I would first need to approach its opposite...humility.

Humility doesn't equate with a lack of competence nor is it the same as a lack of confidence.

Actually, the many truly humble people I've had the pleasure of knowing through the years are folks who have a very realistic understanding and appraisal of their abilities and the odds that face them. Many of those truly humble people are very successful by any measure and - I believe I'm safe in saying that all of them are content with their lot in life.

I believe humility and contentment go hand-in-hand. I'm not certain that a person can be content without an optimistic confidence. The secret seems to be where that optimistic confidence is placed.

If it is placed in one's self, that is dangerous. If it is placed in wealth, that, too is dangerous. If it is placed in status, career, or in a benefactor, it is dangerous. But if one has optimistic confidence in eternal values and a loving God, then that one has started on the right track.

In Ecclesiastes we are warned not to be "overly righteous, nor overly wise..."

James encouraged us to "humble ourselves in the sight of God..."

The old king of the Hebrews said to, "Commit your way to God and He will bring it to pass."

There just might be room for an old television theme song here, "...the future's not ours to see - what will be will be."