THE SCHOOL OF EMOTIONAL MATURITY

“I will tell you about Leviathan’s legs, his strength, and his graceful shape.  No one can pierce his skin. It is like armor!   No one can force him to open his jaws...... Arrows don’t make him run away.  Rocks thrown at him seem as light as chaff.  When a wood club hits him, it feels to him like a piece of straw. He laughs when anyone throws a spear at him". - Job 41:12-14, 28-29 (ERV)

Few weeks ago, I walked out of a meeting with a deep wound in my heart after a false allegation was made against me. I was really embarrassed and felt so bad that I was not even given any opportunity to defend myself on the matter. The accusation really got to me and I was emotionally down for days until God spoke to me from the above scripture in Job 41. And while praying and mediating on these scripture, the Holy Spirit reminded me of the story of two warriors cited below:

"There lived an old warrior in a village. One day a young warrior who arrived at the village heard about the exploit of the old warrior and he decided to challenge him (old warrior) so that he will be the first person to defeat him. The young warrior was very smart, strong, energetic and had an uncanny ability to spot and exploit any weakness in an opponent with ease. Until his arrival in that village, nobody had ever lasted more than a few minutes in a fight with him. The old warrior accepted the young warrior’s challenge and as the battle began, the young warrior began to hurl insults at the old warrior. He threw dirt and spit in his face. For hours he verbally assaulted him with every curse and insult known to mankind. But the old warrior merely stood there motionless and calm. Finally, the young warrior exhausted himself and left feeling ashamed. The villagers were surprised and then asked the old warrior the following questions. “How could you endure such an indignity? How did you drive him away?" The old warrior replied, “If someone comes to give you a gift and you do not receive it, to whom does the gift belong?”.

Like the Leviathan, the old warrior had developed a thick emotional muscles/skin that can fend off the strongest and sharpest arrow in the forest of life. Instead of fighting, crying or yelling, he remained calm and even laughed when spears of accusations was thrown at him by the young warrior. The sizes and weight of the stones of insult and embarrassment could not throw him off balance. 

"Pilate asked him, “Are you the ‘King of the Jews’?” He answered, “If you say so.” The high priests let loose a barrage of accusations. Pilate asked again, “Aren’t you going to answer anything? That’s quite a list of accusations.” Still, he said nothing. Pilate was impressed, really impressed". Mark 15:2-5 (MSG)

Beloved, many of us need to enrol in the school of emotional maturity where that old warrior and our Saviour - Jesus Christ graduated from with distinction. We need to develop strong emotional muscles and stamina that can ward off any verbal gifts of abuses, insults, accusations, reproof and negative cristicism unleashed to throw us off balance. Hence, we must earnestly desire to be more like our Lord and saviour every passing day. Therefore, the lyrics of an old Christian hymn "I want to be like Jesus" should be our watchword and heart cry till we see Christ in glory. This hymn was composed in 1945 by Thomas O. Chisholm. May I urge you to please join me this beautiful Thursday morning to prayerfully sing and meditate on the lyrics of this wonderful hymn below:

I WANT TO BE LIKE JESUS

I want to be like Jesus,
So lowly and so meek,
For no one marked an angry word
That every heard Him speak.

I want to be like Jesus
So frequently in prayer;
Alone upon the mountain-top,
He met His Father there.

I want to be like Jesus,
I never, never find
That He, though persecuted, was
To any one unkind.

I want to be like Jesus,
Engaged in doing good,
So that of me it may be said,
She hath done what she could.

I want to be like Jesus,
Who sweetly said to all,
Let little children come to Me:
I would obey the call.

But oh, I'm not like Jesus,
As any one may see;
Then, gentle Saviour, send Thy Grace,
And make me like to Thee.

My counsel to every old warrior in the journey of life, is that they should continue to trust God for emotional stamina and strength that will make them to keep smiling when persecuted, assaulted or embarrassed unjustly. To every young warrior in the journey, I urge you to please repent and surrender your life, will and emotions to the Almighty God so that He can mould you into the perfect image of His dear son -Jesus Christ.

Good morning and do have a blessed day.

Maranatha!

Bro. Okanlawon Taiwo

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