Wise ass me

I am wise and intelligent and beautiful, and anything you can do, I can do better. Ha! That pretty much sums up all the things we *in all truth and honesty* know better never to actually utter, but really do believe about ourselves. Ok, ok, none of you believe that about yourselves. I used to think I was so great, and of all people you could discuss your problems with, I'd give you the best advice. I would actually be really upset and offended if people didn't take my advice, or at least hear me out. No actually, I'm lying here if I say I USED to feel upset when people didn't take my advice. I still do that.
On one such occasion a few years ago, I was dishing out such incredibly wise advice, when my listening friend responded with a "you're such a wise ass" quirp. Those were her actual words. My mouth hung open in utter shock! I'm not a wise ass, I'm just really wise. I was reeling for a while. I just couldn't put her statement together with my reality of what a great individual I was.
As shocked as I was that her response was so brutal, I am eternally grateful for that remark, because that day I learnt not to be so obvious about being more intelligent than everyone else.
And then, by God's grace, He allowed me to grow older, and would you know it, wiser! And behold, one day I looked back upon the life I had lived, and discovered, I had learnt something, and by some miracle it appears, I was wiser now than I had been then. Oh the shame! How stupid had I been then? The issue with how stupid I was back then, is that I had believed the opposite.
Then I realized, that I was possibly only about a third of the way through my life experience, and probably would be learning other little nuggets of wisdom in time to come. Whoops. I actually know quite little then, don't I.
Yet, in spite of the perspective I've gained, I'm alarmed at the number of times I still find myself rolling my eyes while thinking I know better than someone, whose uncomfortable shoes I've never even set food in. Oh the pride of it!
The reality is that without Christ, I am nothing! And when I think I am it, then I have shoved Jesus very firmly out of my picture, meaning that when I think I'm great, I'm nothing. When I know it's Christ in me the hope of glory, then I walk in favor and authority.
That is when I am so incredibly grateful for God's mercy and grace. If God hadn't gently taught me, and allowed me to make mistakes and learn from them, I would still be in that place where I am a nothing who thinks I'm everything. Ironic.