Human beings are complex creatures. We have minds that set us far apart from the animal realm. Our minds are not only able to catalogue and analyze facts, but are also able to feel a wide range of emotions. From this combination of thinking and feeling, we all make choices and take actions. We relate to God, and to one another, with both head and heart.
Though all human beings represent a combination of feelings and intellect, it seems that some are primarily led by their emotions while others are more guided by the analytical side of their nature. Is one of these bad and the other good? Which should be your primary guide in life? How does a mature person handle the combination of feelings and intellect?
Regarding maturity, why did Jesus Christ say that those who will inherit the Kingdom of God must become like little children (Mark 10:15)? Did the Apostle Paul contradict this by declaring that he had become a man and put away childish things (1 Corinthians 13:11)? Is there a difference between being childlike and being childish? Only by understanding the answer to these questions can we truly recognize how God wants us to conduct ourselves. In doing so, we can more deeply understand why God made us creatures that have both head and heart—intellect and feelings.
Your Heart Can Get You in Trouble
There are clearly individuals who go through life seeming to follow their heart. Judges 13–16 gives the story of one such man, Samson. As you read the story, you see a man who generally followed his feelings and emotions. As a result, he had a lifetime of grief and hard lessons.
Early on, we read that young Samson became infatuated with a Philistine girl. His parents knew that this was not good, and tried to dissuade him. They asked him why he never showed interest in a girl of his own people. Notice Samson’s response. “And Samson said to his father, ‘Get her for me, for she pleases me well’” (Judges 14:3). It is interesting to note that the Hebrew term translated “she pleases me well” is literally “she is right in my eyes.” This approach—doing what is right in one’s own eyes—is a recurring theme throughout the entire book of Judges.
His marriage scarcely lasted a week! Samson’s bride cajoled from him the answer to a riddle, and revealed it to some young men with whom he had made a wager. Samson left in a rage, and soon she married someone else.
Most well known in Samson’s life, of course, is his infatuation with Delilah. Again, this is a story of Samson following his feelings and not doing much thinking. While Samson was sure that he and Delilah were “in love,” she was actually in the employ of the Philistine rulers for the purpose of discovering the secret of Samson’s great strength. Over time, she wheedled and cajoled him to reveal his secret. Several times he made up stories to tell her, which she immediately tried out to see if they would really deprive him of his great strength. When she found that he had tricked her, she would cry and would accuse him of not loving and trusting her. Finally, Samson told her the truth: that his great strength was connected with a Nazarite vow and that his uncut hair was a symbol of that vow.
You know the rest of the story. She got him to sleep, shaved his hair, and the Philistine soldiers captured him and put his eyes out. Clearly Samson was led by his heart, not his head. It certainly should not have taken much thinking and analysis on his part to have seen where the situation with Delilah was headed, but Samson acted on his feelings and emotions and gave little serious thought to the matter.
Because Samson followed his emotions instead of following God, he had much unnecessary heartache and trouble. Finally, as a blind prisoner who spent his days walking around in a circle grinding grain like a draft animal, he had time to reflect on a wasted life and to seek another chance from God to fulfill the destiny for which he had been born—delivering Israel from Philistine domination. This he accomplished in his death.
The story of Samson is a clear illustration of the proverb: “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool” (Proverbs 28:26). To simply follow our feelings and emotions can easily wreck our lives. It leads to impulsive choices that often appear quite foolish in retrospect.
The prophet Jeremiah emphasized: “O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jeremiah 10:23). Why not trust the heart to guide us? Because the natural human heart is both deceitful and wicked (Jeremiah 17:9)! When we are emotionally involved in an issue, it is very easy to fool ourselves about everything connected with it. We can even fool ourselves about our own motives and intentions. Going through life following our emotions and feelings can certainly lead to much trouble!
Your Head Can Also Get You in Trouble
Following our emotions is not the only choice that can lead to trouble in life. Those who rely on their intellect and their ability to analyze a situation and weigh the facts can also wind up in serious difficulty. While Samson is an example of a man who was led by his heart, Jeroboam the son of Nebat was a man led by his head. As a young man, Jeroboam’s competence and capacity were recognized by King Solomon, who made him governor over the tribes of Joseph, the wealthiest of the northern tribes (1 Kings 11:28). As he was leaving Jerusalem one day, the prophet Ahijah accosted him and revealed that God was going to make him king of the northern ten tribes of Israel after Solomon’s death. Some rumor of this prophecy may have reached King Solomon, for soon afterward Jeroboam had to flee Israel and live as an exile in Egypt until Solomon’s death.
Following Solomon’s death, and the accession of his son, Rehoboam, Jeroboam’s great opportunity finally came. When the leaders of the ten tribes were displeased by the new king’s arrogance in addressing their request for lower taxes, they elected to withdraw from the united monarchy and to set up their own independent kingdom. They chose Jeroboam as their new king. He rose from political exile to king in a matter of weeks.
As the euphoria of the moment settled, Jeroboam began to engage in some serious reflection. He was evidently a thoughtful and analytical man. Undoubtedly that very strength had helped bring him to King Solomon’s attention, and had contributed to his success as an administrator. Jeroboam realized that the people’s initial excitement at achieving independence and choosing a new king would gradually fade. While his popularity was quite high, he was intelligent enough to realize what many politicians forget: popularity does not last forever. He foresaw a scenario in which, after a few years, people would begin finding fault with some of his decisions, and would be going to Jerusalem each year to celebrate the festivals, where King Rehoboam would be serving as host to welcome the pilgrims. Jeroboam thought that, in time, nostalgia for the “good old days” when everyone was together would surely set in. The more he analyzed the situation, the more he was convinced that it was just a matter of time before he would be forced out as king and the nation reunited under King Rehoboam (cf. 1 Kings 12).
Jeroboam sought counsel and devised a plan. He did not forbid the people to go to Jerusalem to celebrate God’s festivals, but rather he offered them an easier alternative. He moved the fall festival back a month, to a time evidently a little more convenient for many. Jeroboam offered the people two sites instead of one for pilgrimage: one in the north at Dan and one in the south at Bethel. He also brought in the use of golden calves in worship, and hired new priests who would preach what he paid them to preach. Why did he make these changes? They made “business” sense to Jeroboam and his advisors. His concerns and his conclusions were logical and understandable. Jeroboam’s fault lay not in the failure of his logic, but rather in the failure of his faith. He left God out of the equation!
While Scripture enjoins the use of wisdom and foresight in planning, we also learn that wisdom begins with the fear of the Eternal (Proverbs 9:10). Human wisdom has very distinct limits. Wise King Solomon exhorts us to: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes: fear the Lord and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:5–7). At best, human logic and reasoning represent flawed guides for life’s choices. After all: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12). To rely on your head to guide you through life may lead you to calculate the cost and benefit of every choice and to do the expedient thing rather than the right thing. God’s word is given to illuminate the proper path through life (Psalm 119:105) and is to give guidance to both our thoughts and our feelings. Any other approach is fatally flawed.
Both the head and the heart should play an important role in life. However, we must ensure that both are subservient to the instructions of God’s word. Regardless of the logic or the feelings involved, God’s law must take precedence. Our Creator has endowed us with both logic and feeling, and desires that we properly develop both. Jesus Christ told the woman at the well in Samaria that God desires to be worshiped in spirit and in truth—with both heart and head (John 4:23–24). How do we develop an approach in both head and heart that is pleasing in God’s sight?
Developing a Mature Mind
In 1 Corinthians 13:11, the Apostle Paul explained: “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” Clearly, a childish and immature approach to life should be left behind. What does that entail? Scripture explains that an immature person requires supervision—“a child left to himself brings shame to his mother” (Proverbs 29:15). A person who is mature-minded has the wisdom and self-discipline to make proper choices even when no one in authority is watching.
Notice some other aspects of being mature minded. Such a person sees the big picture and is not deceived by lesser distractions (1 Corinthians 13:1–3). Paul upbraided the Corinthians for their childishness, and cited as evidence the quarrels and factions that existed there (1 Corinthians 1:10–19; 3:1–5).
Another aspect of a mature mind is explained in Ephesians 4:11–15. Here Paul shows that Jesus Christ is the perfect example of maturity, and that we are to grow up to be like Him—that is, a “perfect” or fully developed and mature person. In this passage, he shows that one attribute of immature thinking is being unstable—being thrown to and fro with every wind of doctrine. A mature mind is capable of carefully building, point by point, an understanding of the truth (cf. Isaiah 28:9–11), and will not easily be shaken. Mature thinking involves thoughtful analysis and understanding that runs deep. Someone who only has a shallow, superficial understanding of the truth, even if he has great emotional fervor, will lack staying power over the long haul, and will probably crumble when serious difficulties arise.
How can we develop a mature, sound-minded approach in life? Paul provided the key in Hebrews 5:12–14, by drawing an analogy to physical maturity and the human digestive system. A tiny baby has an immature digestive system, and can only derive nourishment from the most easily digested foods, normally the mother’s milk. As a person matures, the digestive system eventually can break down meat and use the body-building protein it contains. Spiritually speaking, an immature Christian is unskilled in properly applying Scripture and in deriving the right principles to apply to situations. How does a person develop a spiritually mature mind? “But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (v. 14). We develop mature mindedness by combining Bible study with real life situations. This involves not only reading God’s word, but also meditating or thinking about its application in daily life. Learning to worship God in truth—using our heads—is vital. As the years pass, we should understand the principles of Scripture—not only well enough to apply them in our own life, but also to explain them to others.
Having a Childlike Heart
A mature-minded, sensible approach to the truth is very important, but it alone is not enough. While Christians are exhorted to be mature and go beyond a childish approach to living, Christ Himself also teaches us the necessity of becoming like little children. How is being childlike different from being childish?
When young parents tried to bring their little children to Jesus for His blessing, the disciples sought to shoo them away. “Jesus is too important and too busy to be bothered by a bunch of little kids,” they reasoned. When Christ realized what they were doing, He was very displeased. He stopped, took each of those little children in His arms, and invoked God’s blessing. Further, He proclaimed to the startled onlookers that unless they became like little children, they would never even enter the Kingdom (Mark 10:13–16). What qualities did Jesus see in those little children that He wanted His disciples to emulate? Certain outstanding traits come to mind right away. Young children are naturally trusting, wholehearted and teachable. Faith and zeal are very childlike attributes!
Notice what Paul explained in 1 Corinthians 14:20. He exhorted his readers to be mature in understanding, while being “babes”—not practiced—in malice or holding grudges. God wants us to be, like little children, very quick to forgive and to extend love.
The Apostle Peter declared in 1 Peter 2:1–3: “Therefore laying aside all malice, all guile, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” Anyone who has ever seen a little baby anxiously trying to get to his dinner can easily form a mental image of the attitude that God wants us to have regarding His word, our spiritual food. A baby can be eagerness and zeal personified in the quest for his next meal! That childlike zest and eagerness is a quality of the heart that God Himself desires that we never lose.
We live in a sophisticated, technological age, with a culture that has bred skepticism and cynicism. In the midst of such a society, we are asked to exemplify childlike trust and devotion to our Father in Heaven. In other words, we must become like little children!
God has given each of us a head and a heart. Neither one alone is sufficient; each is important and must be developed properly. We need the ability to rationally understand and apply God’s word in our daily life, and we also need the trusting, loving and zealous characteristics of a childlike heart. We must learn to worship God, relate to others and handle all aspects of life with both heart and head.
What does God really want from us? The answer is very simple. He wants our mature mind and childlike heart both to be directed by the Spirit of the Living God!