When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. (1 Corinthians, 13:11 King James Version).
My College Perspective
When I was in college, I wanted to be the next great entrepreneur. Money, money, money.
When I was in college, I wanted to show the world how great I was. Power, power, power.
When I was in college, I wanted to prove everyone who ever doubted me wrong. Vanity, vanity, vanity.
Then I grew up.
Growing Up
It was not overnight mind you. In fact it took me a while.
I learned much from my first job.
I made many mistakes and learned from all.
I had great mentors who shared their time and wisdom.
New Perspective
With maturity came realization that the worship of money is the root of all evil.
With maturity came realization that power is not taken from a title, but granted with influence.
With maturity came realization that the opinions of others mattered less than value in self and service to God.
With maturity came realization the problem with many supposed leaders today is that they never grew up.
Children in the Workplace
The boss who worships money is like the child in a toy store, begging parents for money to buy the latest trinket.
The boss who believes in command and control leadership is like a teenage bully who lacks the social skills to influence.
The boss who seeks the limelight for himself and not his team is like a toddler whining to it’s mother.
Yes, we still have many children in the workplace.
So please, grow up. Learn to serve and to serve first. Put away those childish things and recognize what real leadership is.
Question: What other childish things should leaders put away?
3 thoughts on “When I Became a Man, I Put Away Childish Things – Too Bad Some Never Did”
I agree we have too many people that failed to eliminate the negative childish behavior. It think we also have too many people that eliminated positive behavior found more commonly in children, to our detriment: curiosity, joy, wonder… http://engineering.curiouscatblog.net/2011/10/28/encouraging-curiosity-in-kids/
Great point, John. I liked your post on encouraging curiosity in kids as well. I like how you highlighted that encouraging such curiosity in the kids may help restore curiosity in ourselves as well.
1Corinthians 13 is NOT about telling us to leave childish thinking in our past but to encourage us to return to the innocence of a child’s mind. To become a “man” is to speak like clanging cymbals. To become a “man” is to see through a dark window. To be a child, however, is to speak truthfully and to See clearly!