Playing Dumb to Become Smart

I have a love - hate relationships with YOUTUBE, it is a platform that can cost you hours of your life that you can never get back, but it also has the capability to heal , teach and transform lives .

It was one of those days that I was in the rabbit hole of YouTube, don’t judge me you all know how it is. Someone sends you a clip or you go on there thinking “I ‘m just going to watch this one clip, this one video, and then I’m going to get off and go do so and so.”

 But What happens? One clip turns into two- two turns into five and before you know it, you have watched somebody organize their house, a police chase, a short sermon, a conspiracy video about the government and who knows what else!

But anyway, this day I was watching a pod cast interview and the host asked the guest a question about why they took a certain action and the guest replied “Sometimes you have to play dumb to become smart”! Mind was blown , I had to put my phone down and go meditate on that cause it was so true !!!

Now for some of us -this is a new concept. Why? Because society and those around us teach that it is good to be smart and that we should work to always be the smartest person in the room. But what if that is not 100% true? What if you need to be foolish to become wise and is it possible for us to take authority over these two states and have them co – exist together in us?

Now I know I just got real deep, so I’m going to run it back. Thinking that we know something only to realize we really do not know something can be devastating once the truth is revealed. Right? 

• I mean think about it , you thought you knew that person , but then the mask fell off and BOOM !

• You thought you knew what you would and would not do and then you did or didn’t do it and BAM!

• You made plans or blue print for how this or that was going to go only for it to go in a totally different direction than you expected.

Corinthians 3:18 - Let no one deceive himself. If any among you thinks he is wise in this age , let him become a fool that he may become wise.”

Wisdom and Foolishness can and should always co-exist in everyone one of us.

Yes you read right , that is what I said !

In one way or another in our lives being Foolish saved us and prepared us for the lessons and experiences that are to come.  They say that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result and while to some extinct this may be true , what if it was also playing dumb to become smart . What if you needed to make that same misstep over and over before you finally learned? What is you need to believe something that was not true in order to be able to fully receive the truth when it came ?

One thing is definite , how I learn and how you learn are totally different and for some of us we need to be broken down . The thoughts, the relationships, the attachments, all of it . We don’t always get the lesson on the first , second or even third go around.

Ask yourself this question : The biggest most impactful lessons that you learned in this life - Those jewels of wisdom . HOW did you learn them ? Be honest!

Was it because you made all of the wise and smart decisions or was it because you were “playing dumb’ and foolish? Exactly !

• You said yes when you should have said no.

• You went out when you should have stayed in the house.

• You spoke when you should of stayed silent.

So how do you began to gain wisdom and discernment through playing dumb and being foolish ?  

1. Be Humble-You Don’t know Everything! Isaiah 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. For as the heavens are higher that the earth so are my ways.

2. Know Who You Are- (Here’s the kicker!) You know more than you think you do , the small still voice ( The Holy Spirit) inside of you is the essence of God’s wisdom. Proverbs 2:6 “for the Lord giveth wisdom: out of mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

3. Evaluate Your Circle- Who do spend time around and what are they saying to you? Proverbs 13:20 “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.

4. Be Still- sometimes we are so busy with life we do not take time to THINK to BE! Make time regularly to sit still and reflect, many of our moments of clarity come when we allow ourselves time to tune out the hectic noise of living in this world. Psalm 46:10 “Be Still and know thar I am God.

So, while I am not, and I repeat NOT promoting foolishness, because there is a limit and a difference between being foolish, playing dumb and being complicit in your own downfall. I do believe that our mishaps, missteps, and times of confusion; if the lessons are applied correctly can usher us into a place of wisdom which opens the door for greater revelation in God and gaining knowledge of self!

Thank you for reading another Moody Mindsets blog. Join us for the next blog

 “God Knows My Heart- Sin Justification “