I coached a guy once who knew it all, at least in his own mind. I played with guys who knew it all, at least in their own minds. I’ve been that guy who knew it all, at least in my own mind.
What do you do with that guy?
Check out Proverbs 23:9–Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.”
There’s no way to win, literally and figuratively, with guys who believe they know it all. Confidence is one thing, arrogance and bullheadedness are another.
This scripture give a pretty clear way to deal with those foolish players and coaches: don’t deal with them. Don’t waste your best on them. Don’t keep beating your head against the proverbial wall. Don’t think you can convince them simply by how wise your speech is.
Really? Isn’t that just giving up?
Not if you trust God with those whose attitude and behavior are foolish.
Not if you want to follow this scripture.
Not if you realize that it is only the consequences of foolish behavior that convinces the foolish that their behavior is foolish.
We aren’t told to stop loving or coaching them, or to stop trying to help them, but we are told that we cannot change their hearts, that they will likely laugh at our words unless they are convinced in other ways.
Those who know it all, at least in their own minds, will always be with us. Learning to deal with them involves trusting God to deal with them.
Lord Jesus, show me how to wisely love and lead everyone I’m around. Amen.
