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disseminate what they bave never
learned themselves?
Just what is emotional maturity?
One author defines it this way : de–
velopment from a state of taking to
a s tate of g iving and sh a rin g.
There's also a spiritual principie in–
volvcd- development from natural
impulses and responses of human
nature to the principie of loving
one's neighbor as b-imself. Few rea l–
ize it's a recipe for happiness.
It
is
something that rriust be learned- by
the mind- and developed by self–
di scipline. As 1 said, it's some thing
you were not bom with. Human na–
ture is totaUy contrary lo it.
God's Jaw is based on the giving
principie. Its basis is !ove. Love is
outgoing concern. Human nature is
a magnet- a puU-in the direction of
self. But the way of God's law,
which is the way to peace, happi–
ness, and everything good- ah, that
is a way humans must be taught.
Giving, sharing, serving, helping
have to be Jearned.
But humans are equipped with
emotions. And, from babyhood, all
humans are actuated more or less
by their emotions. Emotions are
feelings- disturbances - depa rtures
from a calm state of rational right
thinking and acting. Emotion is an
impulse toward action or expression
of feeling, unapproved - unless
taught and controlled otherwise- by
the mind. Among the emotions a re
such feelings or expressions as fcar,
anger, resentment, jealousy, hatred.
grief. sorrow, surprise, desire, ela–
tion, joy.
Emo tions have a first cousin- our
moods. The emotionally immature
usually are moody, and have no t
learned to control their moods.
Mo re and more I am impressed
with a most importan! truth we
humans are prone to overlook.
While animals are guided by in–
stinct into the course intended for
them by the Creator, man is given
powers and potentialities infinitely
higher. The spirit
in
man imparts to
the brain the powers of the human
mind- an inteUectual and even spir–
itual quality. Dumb brutes canno t
appreciate a Gainsborough, a Rem-
42
brandt, o r a Goya painting: a Beet–
hoven sonata o r a Schumann
concerto; or the literature of great
authors. They canno t acqui re scien–
tific knowledge, weigh facts. make
decisions, render judgments, exercise
self-discipline, develop character.
They cannot attain access to and
union with Almighty God, become
begotten of Him as His very child.
enjoy actual communion with the
Eterna! Creator, have their minds
opened and enlightened by His Spirit,
come to comprehend spi ritual truths
and, finally, become born as a son of
God in His very divine family!
Man was pul on earth to develop
and attain to some thing infinitely
higher than animal destiny. Man was
intended to deve lop spi ritual charac–
ter- to become Ji ke the Supreme God.
This all comes through the marvelous
human mind. One comes to knowl–
edge of God through the mind. One
realizes sin and repents of it in the
mind! God's Spi rit entering is the
Spirit ofa sound mind!
Not only spiritua l development.
but also emotional maturity, is de–
veloped through the mind. l t comes
by right knowledge, creative think–
ing, right decisions, the use of will ,
self-discipline. To rightly direct his
actions is man's purpose in life.
Yet mos t people seem to assume
humans to be merely the highes t of
the dumb brutes! They fail uuerly
to comprehend the magnitude of
human potentiality ! They allow
themselves to act thoughtlessly on
impulse, with feelings, moods, emo–
tions being swayed and buffeted
into troubles, tragedies, and suffer–
ings througb irrationa l actions.
l once knew a trag ic example.
lt
was a man highly ed ucated. a
teacher who readily assumed the re–
sponsibiJity of teaching youths when
he himself had never learned this
centraltruth of Life.
His mind was sto red with knowl–
edge about things- geology. ast ron–
omy, mathematics, litera ture-but he
had acquired little knowledge about
himself: his moods, feelings, drives ,
impulses, desi res. As a chi ld he had
been pampered. petted and spoiled,
permitted to have his own way. He
had not been taught self-res traint ,
self-contro l, or how inte lligently to
divert his moods and desires, and
guide them according to wisdom.
He was married to a beautiful
and intelligent wife, had a fine fam–
ily. an honored position. But when
he allowed feelings, impulses. and
moods to lead his actions instead of
sound judgment and wisdom of
mind, his home was broken by di–
vorce; and in the grip of his moods
and tendency to run from his prob–
lems instead of facing and solving
them, he fled in blind fear from his
high position and brilliant future .
He wrecked no t onJy bis own happi–
ness. but his marriage and his home.
and he forced great sorrow, suffer–
ing a nd unhappiness on many
others.
He had a llowed his emotions and
moods, instead of his mind , to lead
his actions. He had come to see cir–
cumstances through the eyes of his
feelings. and his understanding had
become warped and distorted . He
had grown up phys icaUy. He had
developed mentally. But emotion–
ally he was still a very young child–
and. as a sad accompanimenl. his
spiritual age was no o lde r.
One is no t really mature until
emotionally and spiritually grown
up, as well as physically and men–
tally. Parents should realize it is
their responsibility to study th eir
own children- teach them right di–
rection and control over tempers.
impulses. feelings, angers, moods.
Teach restra int of selfishness and
vanity. Teach !ove and outgoing
concern for others. Teach giving in–
stead of taki ng.
But emotional maturity does no t
mean
emotionless
maturity. The
truly emotionally mature control the
emotions. They do not anesthetize
them! They do express, at the right
time. and in proper degree, en thusi–
asm. happiness, joy. They do feel
deep grati tude for blessings. and
a lso they deeply feel reverence,
adoration, in the worship of God.
They s incerely feel compass ion
toward o thers- a feeling of true out–
going concern. They express sympa–
thy and have merey.
Emotional maturity does not cru–
cify emotions-it controls and guides
them with right knowledge and true
wisdom. Emotional maturity devel–
ops hand in hand with physical.
mental and spiritual growth- the
fo ur blending, finally. into the pe r–
fect spiritual character which is the
The
PLAIN TRUTH August 1978