When I Was A Child

• Now that graduation is on the horizon, you have

worked clarify your vision, establish priorities, and
build a stronger character an or In this last unit, you
will begin preparing for life. In this lesson, you will
learn valuable insights on maturity.
• When you were a baby, you would cry as if you
demanded the whole world’s attention. Can you
remember a time you cried because your mom and dad
would not buy you a toy you saw when your family
was strolling around the mall? It seems like yesterday,
doesn’t it? Now, you are slowly coming to realize that
the whole world does not revolve around your life. It is
time to grow up and mature.
 Leave childish ways behind.
• Among the many realities one must face when leaving high school life is
that you must also leave your childish ways behind. Soon you will face
more serious situations that will force you to become mature. This does
not necessarily mean that you have to pretend to be somebody you are not.
Maturity is not something you can fake. Maturity allows you to gain better
perspective of things. It is the deliberate willingness to stretch yourself so
you can better appreciate people and the situations around you. Here are
some other aspects that can help you further understand maturity.
 Don't talk like a child.
• To speak childishly is to say things you do not mean or make
promises you do not intend to keep. Only children speak of
things that are nonsense. Infants babble words because they are
not fully aware of what is happening around them. Still, you
may not know everything but you know enough to mean what
you say by speaking with honesty and concern for others.
 Don't act like a child.

• Children squabble over petty things. But it’s not only

the children who quarrel. Imagine how neighborhood
fights can be ignited by senseless disagreements. While
such attitudes may be acceptable among children,
sadly, some adults also have difficulty acting their age.
 Don't reason like a child
• Selfishness often describes how children reason. It is the ME-
first mentality that makes children want things done their way.
When we reason childishly, we do not pay attention to the
feelings of others, but instead center on ourselves. We become
deaf to others’ reasoning and ignore wisdom.
 Maturity .

• A saying goes, “Some are already old at 17; others are

still young at 70,” This means that maturity is not all
about age. Young people can still act maturely while
some adults may act and think very immaturely.
Therefore, maturity...
• ...is Not about age.
• ...is moving beyond self.
• ...is thinking about others before one’s self.
• ...is practicing the lessons learned.
• ...is seeking to be wise. e .,.is reflecting Christ
 Activity
• 1 Corinthians 13:11 tells us, “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I
thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put
childish ways behind me.”
 Contrast a mature person with a childish person.
 Do you think you can consider yourself mature?
 How difficult is it for you to put childish ways behind you?
 Pinoy Kasi
• Isip bata……...that’s what we normally call those who act childishly. When
an old person is not acting according to his or her age, or reasons the way
immature people do, that person is considered isip bata. As you become
older, you need to act accordingly. Although you can never be perfect, it is
expected that at least you will act your age. Do not be isip bata.
 When are you most likely to act and think childishly?
 What changes do you need to make so that you will not reason, talk, or act
like a child.
 Real People, Real Models
• It is sad how some children are only given a limited time to enjoy life. Because of their
condition, they are forced to face difficulties far beyond what they should have to bear
at their age. The Cancer Warriors Foundation is an organization that promotes the
welfare of children stricken with cancer. They archive stories of children who have
battled this dreaded disease. One of these stories is that of Esther Joy Linart. Joy was 11
years old. She was fighting the pain and horror of bone cancer. On the day her right leg
was to be amputated, she shared her fears with one of the personnel of Cancer Warriors.
She feared she would not grow older and was frightened that her mother, a single
parent, would be alone. Although, the operation was successful, the cancer had already
spread and she eventually died.
• Seek to mature in all areas by keeping your focus away from yourself and
widening your understanding of things. There is so much to learn about
life that you should not be stuck with your old childish perspective, It is
about time that you view the world differently—far from your selfish and
me-centered tendencies. Strive hard to understand others, stretch ' your
patience a bit, silence your opinions from time to time, and look at things
through different lenses. In time, you will notice how you have grown and
appreciate that you have a better grasp of things.
 React the Peak
• Look in. Give up your childish ways.
• Lookup. Ask God to help you mature and gain a better perspective of
things.
• Look around. Listen to what other people say about your attitudes; you
may discover some areas for growth.
• Look out. Make sure you never insist that you are always right; such
people seldom grow.