Wise Beyond Experience

Fangs show

Emotional immaturity is a real thing, wouldn't you agree? It shows up when we make decisions rashly, out of reaction to a perceived slight; when our ego and pride are bruised at the thought of rejection. This is when fangs show and claws extend, with offensive attack being imminent. 

When I walk my dog, and he senses another dog close by, the hair along his spine, although very short naturally, rises up, razor back style, like a mohawk. His lips curl back, with snorts, and displays of readiness for battle. 

Damn it dear reader, we react similarly, and this is my point: behaviour like this is damnable, because it threatens relationship. While it may appear that we are defending ourselves from the threat of another, who is potentially going to wound us, what it really does is devastate relationship, and prohibit connectivity. It is a human relations penalty box, and the one who has behaved rashly must come to grips and terms with themselves and ask, what have I done?

Judgemental

If it sounds as though I am being judgmental, then let's get clear here and now, I am! Like a judge sitting in a courtroom looking down my nose, I point my finger at the culprit and say You, human, you know better!

In the scene, I also play the would be innocent accused Who, me? Are you pointing at me? your honour. I am clearly innocent! Why, if you take a close look at the situation, you will see that I am justified in all I have said and done; after all, I have been misused. If I do not defend myself then I ask, who will?" 

Back in my high seat, I shake my head at what I am hearing, and with a gentle voice I implore This is not what I have taught you. This is something you have learned. It is not from me. It came from another. You know better!

Paused, I am paused and pondering. How do I answer now? Something inside of me hears the echo you know better, and my mind searches for the better, and wonders what the better is, and where to find it, because the judge in me is right, I know better. I do: I know better. 

In the searching there is a locating and softening. The better has me humbly crumbling, sobbing in submission. Kindness and mercy is the better. Love in the face of threat, destroys all division, and I am kneeling now before the real Judge, The One that calls me His, The One that says the better way is My Way. He reminds me, My wisdom reaches beyond your experience, and I will defend you. I am faithful: in fact, I call you to be wise beyond your experience too. I give to you freely all that I have. I gave you the best of Me in my Son, so that the better is always available, always yours for the asking and having. 

Look to Him 

Emotional Maturity

Will you agree here and now with me dear reader, that emotional maturity is an essential? 

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God (James 1:19-20) 

This is a chastisement if you or I have been slow to listen, and quick with our words and anger, with a finger pointing at us, the accused. But in maturity, we see the rightness of this, we see that experience teaches the wisdom in this admonishment. 

It is, the better way, and it is a bypass of the snorting, snarling, hair raised, extended claws, and lip curled exposed fangs, that distort our natural beauty, and have us looking and sounding like wild dogs. It is a taming of the shrew in us, the us that wants to take care of number one, at the expense of caring for the two, the me and you in relationship. Life is pointless, absolutely useless and pointless, if all that matters is me. 

I am nothing without you, without them, without us. 

Advancement

My work, the word to me, is this: 

• Be quick to listen (I am working on this one, hard for me being a talker)
• Be slow to speak (quite the challenge when I have so many opinions and such a great urge to share them) and;
• Slow to anger (oh dear reader, this one has been a delight...I am not there yet, but I have traveled a thousand miles, from snarls and bared teeth, to the promised land of peace and a righteous life, the one God desires for me) 

Now your turn:

• What is your work? 
• What does your conscience tell you about you, and where emotional maturity may aid in relationship maintenance, growth and development? 
• You know better, don't you? 

On this, Christmas Eve, the better is before us. 

Look, dear one, to Him.