I use to believe that everyone had the same intelligence level. God created us all in His image and is both very wise and very intelligent. He is omnipotent and omniscient as well as omnipresent. He is the creator of everything. So why would he not make everyone equally smart. Now wisdom is a different story. That comes from God only and not from age. Otherwise, we would not have older people doing the same thing over and over expecting different results.
Anyway, as I was saying I use to believe that everyone had the same intelligence, but I do not believe this any longer. Instead, I believe that all of us are unintelligent or ignorant in somethings, but extremely smart or capable in others.
Take a so called genius. Their IQ may be through the roof and they can do great things with Math and Sciences or whatever it may be, but most of the time they lack the ability to socialize. Now take a person who is considered retarded, they may not be able to do the math or sciences, but they are typically very happy social people.
Think of this verse:
1 Corinthians 1:27 New International Version (NIV)
27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
Would it not also be possible that God gave each of us different abilities? If you do not remember the parable of the talents, here it is:
Matthew 25:14-30 English Standard Version (ESV)
The Parable of the Talents
14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
In this story, each person is given money to do with as necessary according to their abilities. Since they knew their master, each also responded differently according to their abilities.
So do not look down at those that you think are stupid or foolish for God created each one of us for a specific purpose.