Will I be judged for not being as smart as another person?

Answer:

"Intellectual" is not a term used in the Bible, so we are going to limit ourselves to knowledge, understanding, and wisdom.

Knowledge are facts about life. I know that three apples plus two apples give me five apples. Facts are truth, they don't change.

Understanding is my ability to logically reason about life. I understand that having five apples gives me enough to bake an apple pie. Understanding is the combining of facts to gain greater information.

Wisdom is the ability to look at a situation and know which facts and which logical reasons are needed to solve a problem. Thus, it is wise to realize that if I bake an apple pie, I can invite my friends over who are having a disagreement to talk about the problem while sharing something we all enjoy.

True wisdom, knowledge, and understanding come from God. "For to a person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy" (Ecclesiastes 2:26). "But it is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding" (Job 32:8). However, you will always find people who believe they can out-think God.

"For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.'  Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, 'Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord'" (I Corinthians 1:18-31).

Therefore, if someone tells me that something is a really good idea and we should do it, but I know that it goes against something that God said in the Bible, then I stick with what God said. It has always done me well. I can't tell you how many times someone has told me that the world would end on some date. I remember that Jesus said that one knows when the end will come (Matthew 24:36). Thus, I tell people with confidence that the world will most likely not end on that date and the person making the prediction is a false teacher. It gets a lot of people upset, but God has been right every time.

If it takes you a bit longer to grasp ideas, that is fine. Don't let yourself be bullied into making quick decisions. Allow yourself the time to think about it and also to ask others you trust about their ideas on the matter. Often, one of your friends will think of something that you didn't notice. "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel" (Proverbs 12:15).

So here is a final piece of advice: Don't compare yourself to other people. You are your own person. You will be judged by God for the things you do -- not how rapidly you think of things.