A young mom recently told me about the day her three-year-old had been playing with his cousins. A report came to the moms that he had hit one of his cousins, so she called him to her side and said, “Honey, we don’t hit our cousins. We have to be kind!”

He leaned forward, eyes narrowed, looking her squarely in the face and said (with lots of attitude), “You no know me.” Then he turned and swaggered away, his little arm swinging.

“I don’t know you?” She called after him, trying not to laugh. “I think I do know you! I changed your diaper just a few minutes ago!”

Sometimes, we treat God the way this little guy treated his mom. We walk into his presence with attitude and swagger. When God uses the Bible to point out our sin, we prefer to change the subject. We quickly disregard our soiled past and present infractions, acting as though it cost God nothing to cleanse us and clothe us with his righteousness.

Now, God doesn’t point our sin out because he’s trying to put us down. He isn’t somehow elevated by our shortcomings. (Just the opposite is true!) God calls us to repentance because he does know us. He knows just how prone we are to put on a false front elevate ourselves. He knows how our self-centeredness leaves bruises on the people around us.

Why not let God gently pull you to his side today? He knows you. And he knows that you’ll be happiest if you’ll lean in and listen to his input.