TURNING POINT: Self-Control

NAAWAN, Misamis Oriental (MindaNews / 11 September) — The young is the future.

As such, they should be prepared for citizenship both in the kingdom of God and men. It is important to mold them early into disciplined persons; teaching and inculcating in them a behavior that is universally desirable and to eschew what is not.  It is teaching and encouraging kids to internalize, among others, such virtues  as love, courage, fairness and compassion that ignoble rather than debase life.

The most effective way to teach such virtues is by role modeling, that is, for adults to inspire the young by showing those virtues in their very own conduct in the arena of life.

“Kung anong nakikita ng mga bata sa kanilang mga matatanda, yan ang tama.”

No doubt, we best teach our children by what we do; and how disciplined we are in walking our talk. Without consistency in our behavior we are but clanging cymbals, all noise signifying nothing.

Thus, no person should pretend or aspire for parental or leadership roles unless he is a model of discipline. The final test of discipline is self-control.

Self-control is the hallmark of a disciplined person. It is the ability to master one’s desires so as to remain in the path of truth, in what is right and what is good at all times. 

A person of self-control makes rational decisions and is always at peace with himself and those around him.

Indeed, if we let our desires decide for us; our lives can quickly spin out of control and puts us in misery. 

(MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. William R. Adan, Ph.D., is retired professor and former chancellor of Mindanao State University at Naawan, Misamis Oriental, Philippines)