There are really four basic or primary areas that a person needs to develop in order to fit into society and interact with other human beings. They include developing strength or proficiency in the areas of our: physical, social, mental and spiritual attributes. All four of those are mentioned by St. Luke in Describing how Christ developed as a youth; “And Jesus increased in wisdom (mentally) and stature, (Physically) and in favor with God (spiritually) and Man (socially).” (Luke 2:52) A weakness in any one of these areas will leave a person handicapped to some extent.
When I was a young elementary school student, they referred to basic education as the three R’s, Reading, Riting and Rithmetric. The assumption, I suppose, was that if a person became proficient in the three ‘R’s,’ they were then prepared to learn other important lessons of life and become a productive member of society. Ralph Nichols said, “The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and to be understood.” The three ‘Rs’ are those skills that fit (prepare) one to communicate both ways. We had to have the basics and that’s all there was to it! Albert Shanker said; “The next time anyone is inclined to sneer at the basics as ‘traditional,’ I suggest he or she visit with a 12th or even a 6th grade grade student who can barely read, write or compute and look at the pain and frustration on their face” In my youth there really wasn’t much said or done, formally to encourage youth to develop physically. Why? There wasn’t a need because in those days most kids lived on farms or were required to help their family with chores; weeding the family garden, chopping wood for their wood burning stoves, carrying water from the well and any number of other chores. Too, children were much more active than they are in our modern day. We didn’t have twenty-four hour television, electronic games, cell phones, and all the modern conveniences that have virtually done away with physical chores and activities. We were running all over the neighborhood playing outside games and having fun. The indoors were primarily for eating and sleeping. When I became a teenager (13), I joined the National Guard, and I was later(19) drafted into the army during the Korean conflict and in both of these experiences I went through what was referred as “Basic Training.” Basic Training, like the three ‘Rs’ was necessary for survival as well. The three ‘R’s’ for survival in the world at large and Basic Training for survival in battle. Basic training tested one’s stamina and developed both one’s character and physical strength. Both the three ‘Rs’ and Basic Training were considered to be necessary and essential and if either were failed the first time through that person was held back. If they were not proficient after the second time they did it a third time. Because their survival in both life and/or war was held to be at stake.
In respect to having basic social skills, a person must learn compassion and empathy. In our relationships with others, the basic and critically important rule; ‘Do unto others as you would they do to you.’ Before a person can receive love and respect, they must first love and respect themselves. Wilfred Peterson said: “The art of being yourself, at your best, is the art of unfolding your personality into the man (woman) you want to be.” Be gentle with yourself, learn to love yourself, to forgive yourself, for only as we have the right attitude toward ourselves can we have the right attitude toward others.”
Basic social skills are closely tied to our spiritual development. The Ten Commandments were given to the children of Israel as a comprehensive guide to life and how to live with others and to get along with our God as well. The Beatitudes expanded upon those same precepts as well as many other sayings of the Savior while He sojourned on the earth. One of the most significant of which is: “And as you would that men should do to you , do ye also to them likewise.” (Luke 6:31) Again, I remember how this came out of the mouths of babes, either having said it myself or having had it said by my friends: “How would you feel if they did that to you? Or if it happened to you?”
The world generally has drifted astray from many of these basic precepts of life, and it would be well for us to return to the basics in each of the areas described in the scriptures about the Savior: “And Jesus increased in wisdom (mentally) and stature (physically) and in favor with God (spiritually) and man (socially)” (Luke 2: 52)