RIGHT IN HEAD AND HANDS BUT WRONG IN HEART

RIGHT IN HEAD AND HANDS BUT WRONG IN HEART

Thinking right, right saying, and doing something in the right way are keys to real greatness. Real greatness is simply walking in the right paths. What is right is determined by good conscience. Good conscience is always in total harmony with God’s laid down principles. Therefore, God is the standard of what is right. What is right is neither a question of fact or opinion. God’s principles are of universal application. One of such principles is that God wants us be right not only in our heads and hands but also right in hearts.

It has been said that real education must touch a person’s head (knowledge), hands (skills), and heart (character). This means being skillful, or knowledgeable, or both does not necessarily makes a person an educated person. It is a sad commentary that even the so-called best schools across the globe fail to give their students real education. Their products may be knowledgeable and skilful but may have poor character (integrity). No wonder many so-called educated people today are too-knowing, pen robbers, professional liars, selfish, and immoral. Besides, they claim to be smart people yet dishonesty is their trait. Knowledge and skills without character create crises. It goes without saying that real education must produce people who are right in head, right in hands, and right in heart, nothing less; nothing more.

Education, be it formal or informal, can equip any individual to acquire knowledge and develop that person’s skills. ‘Knowledge,’ so goes a popular saying, ‘is power’ although I do not totally agree with it. I think knowledge is life. I am talking about right knowledge (knowledge that is in harmony with God’s Word’). Any knowledge that gives mere power corrupts but right knowledge gives both life and pure power, which is for common good. Skills on the other hand open doors of opportunities to us. Knowledge and skills give us handy tools to work with. They also offer us many options. Besides, knowledge and skills are common tools for creativity. They can make star out of any person. For instance, the skilfulness of Michael Essien in football has undoubtedly made him an international football star. Lawyers, judges, medical doctors, the clergy, the academicians, engineers, scientists and so forth are much celebrated because of their great mental prowess. They hold some keys of knowledge. No wonder they are influential people. However, it is possible for a person to have knowledge and skills, and yet be fruitless. Your character is your fruit. I am talking about fruit that lasts – imperishable fruit.

Character is a heart issue. The heart is the spring of life. The wise king Solomon admonishes us to guard our heart with all diligence. We guard our hearts by concentrating on desires or things that keep us on the right path of God. Any book can equip any individual with any knowledge. Any training can develop skills of any people. However, it takes the Bible and the Holy Spirit to make someone a person of right character. Right character produces love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such there is no law. This means that a person who demonstrates the right character fulfils the law far better than persons who observes the rituals but little love in their heart. Do you have the right heart?

Richard Obeng Mensah, co-author of 37 Benefits of Reading. richardobengmensah@gmail.com / www.richard-obeng-mensah.blogspot.com.