Intelligence 101

Have you ever had difficulty understanding a new concept? Of course you have,  we all have. In fact, show me a person who never trips up and I will show you a person who doesn't exist.There are many subjects out there that we've been told are better left to the experts to decipher like politics, economics, rocket science and even theology-especially theology.

A few years ago it occurred to me that my "religion" didn't make much sense and that I had been sort of riding this experience of mine on waves of mediocrity.  In a nutshell I was hungry to learn why I did the things I did-like go to church on Saturday instead of Sunday.  The more complex issues like the heavenly sanctuary doctrine and the atonement were concepts that I just didn't understand and my questions only brought more confusing answers.  I assumed everyone else "got it" and I just wasn't spiritually in tuned with spiritual things.

Then one night during a bible study I asked some questions that were burning holes in my heart and mind and guess what? I had 5 or so other people speak up and admit they didn't understand either.  This was the beginning of the most exciting journey of my life. Not only was I inspired to ask more questions,  it wasn't long before I began getting answers that were simple and made sense.  Here is a quote from one of my favorite authors Rich Maybury, "...always be aware of anyone who tells you a topic is above you or better left to experts. This person may, for some reason, be trying to shut you out. You can understand almost anything. If you know you are giving it your best effort and you are still finding an explanation difficult to grasp, it may be that the expert has poor communication skills.  It could also be that the expert doesn't want you to grasp it.  Many people are twice as smart as they think they are but they've been intimidated into believing some topics are above them." You can find this quote on p. 16 of Rich's book, "Whatever Happened toJustice?"

So, my dear friends, if you are thinking that you are too dull or too stupid or too brain-dead to understand the topic at hand, please remember this quote next time you are sitting among "experts."