Why do smart people do not-so-smart things? Time after time I hear sad stories about people with high IQs who fall short in the area of moral discernment, leading to tragic results. Obviously, a good brain isn’t enough to keep a person from making bad choices.

This contradicts the belief of some that better education can solve society’s ills. The reasoning goes like this: “If we educate people about the dangers of _________, they won’t do ‘it’ and thus will be spared from unpleasant, unintended consequences.”

But experience and the Bible tell us something different. In fact, the smartest man who ever lived could serve as a poster boy for bad choices.

Ancient Israel’s King Solomon, author of much of the book of Proverbs, wrote, “Keep your heart with all diligence” (4:23) and “Wisdom rests in the heart of him who has understanding” (14:33). Despite knowing the connection between the heart and wisdom, the king disobeyed God by marrying foreign women who “turned his heart after other gods” (1 Kings 11:4). As a result, the Lord said, “I will surely tear the kingdom away from you” (v.11).

The ability to make good decisions demands a heart devoted to God.  — Julie Ackerman Link