Our intellectual faculties are:
- reason
- intuition (spirit)
- perception
- will
- memory
- imagination
We have covered reason and intuition. We also talked about perception or perspective back in April. If I held up a black book and the word Bible was on the side that faced me and the side that faced you was a blank black cover, we would have different ideas about the book. We might even argue about the book. Both our view points would be correct just different. Our perception changes with experience, increased knowledge, time, or as we change our position. A child’s perception is different than the teachers. It is not a question of right and wrong but of willingness to accept the others person’s point of view. Once we can do that we are able to reach that person and share our views. Kind of like Jesus became human to be like us, so he could reach us, so we could be like Him.
The human will is amazing. I can recall rock climbing and being stuck in one place for over an hour and then simply willing myself to the top. I have willed myself to cycle up a mountain, to continue an orienteering hike to the end, and to run a first mile for the first time. I was physically unable to do any of these things. My intellectual power of will was able to take over when the power of the body had been depleted. The will allows us to concentrate on one thing and exclude everything else. Coaches give pep talks in an attempt to stimulate the players will to win. They say in sports the will to win is more important than skill. The children in our classes need Holy Ghost preaching to awaken their will to run the race God has for them. When I think of the will, I think of the movie Rocky. The movie was about a washed up boxer getting the chance to fight the champ and winning that fight against all odds. The movie didn’t have great acting, the story line was very predicable, and yet it won the Best Picture award because of the movie’s ability to make the audience believe anything is possible if you have “The Eye of the Tiger” or the will to do it. Another example is Carman’s 1980’s song “The Champion”. It has the ability invoked the will of Christian. How do you invoke the will of your students? I don’t know but by the Holy Ghost. I know I have done it and seen it done in classes. I would encourage you to be looking for the opportunity to have it happen in your class. Look for ways to involve the children’s will in your classes. It may happen through a song, preaching, an alter call, or whatever but be aware that it is needful for us all to “run the race until it is run”.