No matter how smart someone may be, they are void of wisdom unless they fear the Lord. We are adrift in a sea of relative morality, without anchor, without a clear picture of our destination and without bearings for a course to arrive. We must begin at the beginning, understanding first, where we are. No slight of hand, no semantic games, no attempt to spin the story to match our predetermined narrative... we must simply ask the basic question. "What am I in the sight of God?" No other opinion matters in the slightest. No other being has the right or the power to determine our eternal destination. God alone passes judgement upon all of us. So knowing the raw data about where we stand in the sight of God is crucial for any desired course correction. Rather than comparing ourselves to others for this answer, compare yourself to what God has given as His demands upon His creation. Jesus summed these demands up in two unattainable statements. "Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, with all of your strength and with all of your mind." And, "Love your neighbor as you love yourself". Understand that no one has ever accomplished either of these commands. This is what scripture means when it says that "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God". Consider well, beloved, that you are still here on this rock, ONLY because God has willed that you would be so. Understand, my precious child, that His mercy in allowing you to remain is an opportunity for you to recognize your sin, and to repent, to turn away from it. And be clear about this, dear one, the only day that you are promised in which to do this is TODAY. Thus, fearing the Lord and His judgment is where wisdom begins.