Innocent – when someone is found innocent it connotates unawareness or exclusion of responsibility.
Ignorant – having the lack of knowledge or information.
For our consideration in comparing innocence and ignorance, I want to draw a mind picture.
When we think of a small child, we need to protect them from the environment they are in. They have not had brain and skill development to grow in awareness of danger or of social norms. As this young person grows and matures physically, we expect them to develop. We give a baby a mother’s breast, or a bottle, for their nourishment. However, under most circumstances, we expect that at some time they will drink from a cup and chew solid food.
We expect them to grow mentally as well. Primarily many children start with the language of their caregiver’s and parents’ choice. If once they attend school and are exposed to and taught a second language, we anticipate that they will become proficient in this second language to the level that they are tutored. If they refuse to respond to the second language, we would do well to search out the reason for this. A speech impediment or deafness or eyesight issues could be the cause. If all investigation proves there is no flaw or disorder, and if the rest of their schooling progresses, we might say these children are choosing to remain ignorant. They could hardly be considered innocent. In real life we often would like to claim ignorance.
When children have not been exposed to or taught responsible behaviour, problematic social handicaps usually result. For a period of time, we tolerate a social or developmental handicap. This handicap is frequently associated with a person’s will, and can be motivated by a desire for attention.
There’s an old adage, “What goes in must come out.” In the lives of both children and adults, love is a key ingredient. We must impart love to those around us, so they are able to, in turn, give love away.
When a child receives no external discipline from parents or caregivers or schoolteachers while growing up, the seed of discipline is not planted into the development of their mind. Since discipline is an unpleasant ingredient, albeit with rewarding results, we are robbing this child of joy. Good results bring joy! In believing you are allowing your child to “just be a kid”, you are actually denying them the joy of “being a kid”! The endorphins of joy and satisfaction cannot flow without being fed. Once a pattern of considering oneself a person of special or exceptional design sets in, it is almost impossible for full development to occur.
This is not a scientific, psychologically grounded writing. I have no question a learned person could come up with many arguments to refute my thoughts.
We live in a society that focuses on negatives. It is a breakdown mentality, fueled from a desire to be negative. Our nature is designated to be negative. What is the first word a lot of toddlers learn. “No!” Consider the garden of Eden. What is the first recorded dialog in the Bible? “Hath God said?” The question seeds negative thought. Human rights. Animal rights. Ethnic rights. Environmental rights. My friend, striving for good is Biblical. Adam and Eve were instructed by the God of Heaven and earth, the Creator himself, to take care of the animals, the environment, the plants, the eco-system. Then Satan came into the garden. He broke it all! Why? Because God determined that people are to have the power of choice. The first two sons were born to the first wife of the first husband. One of these sons killed the other! Twenty-five percent of humanity was destroyed in one selfish act. We can speculate all day today, and most of tomorrow, and we will still be no closer to a solution than we are now.
There is, however, something we can do. We can each take responsibility for our own life. We can teach the little ones around us the joy of responsibility. We can be kind to those who have not been given the privileges we have. We can look after the poor and needy. We can be sympathetic to the stray dog and alley cat. We can promote love and peace. We can teach godliness. We can find a quiet spot and meditate on truth. Seek God’s will. Be sober. Be vigilant.
We don’t need to dissect the precise difference of innocent and ignorant, thereby missing the whole message.
Whether you sip water, drink water or guzzle water; these are all methods of hydration.
