My Dad's a half Dane, and I'm, therefore, one quarter. Our last name is really spelled Nielsen, but it (like so many) was inadvertently changed at Ellis Island into the typical English spelling. We chuckled one day when we saw a mug that read, "You can always tell a Dane, but you can't tell him much!" Cute, huh? OK, well, that may be true of any Svinska, Italian, German, or anyone else for that matter! But it brings up something that we all need to assess in ourselves, that is, our own willingness to learn, a willingness that stems from humility and submission. The wise person will listen, but the fool knows everything. Ever run into a fool? It's hard to talk with them; they're too busy blathering about something they imagine they know (when often they know very little). The Scripture teaches us to be wise, and warns us about being foolish. Read Lloyd-Jones' comment on fools from his Sermon on the Mount sermons:
What are the characteristics of the foolish man? The first is that he is in a hurry. Foolish people are always in a hurry; they want to do everything at once; they have no time to wait. How often does the Scripture warn us against this! It tells us that the godly, righteous man 'shall not make haste'. He is never subject to flurry and excitement and hurry. He knows God and he knows that the decrees and purposes and plan of God are eternal and immutable. But the foolish man is impatient; he never takes time; he is always interested in short cuts and quick results. . . . We are all familiar with this kind of person in ordinary life and quite apart from Christianity. He is the type of man who says, 'I must have a house at once; there is no time for foundations.' He is always in a hurry.
Perhaps, in 2011, we might learn a lesson here and listen well, rest in the Lord and not give in to frenetic busyness. Your heart will feel better and your love for Christ open up.
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