I caught a glimpse of my face in the mirror this morning and wondered who that old guy staring back at me was! Grandpa Scott- that's me! All grown-up, just starting the last quarter in this game of life. Aging is inevitable, but not maturity! Some men die of old age while still thinking and acting like a teenage boy. I don't want to be one of them.
Maturity gives a person the freedom to choose to master his impulses because he understands that he won't 'just die' if he doesn't get what he thinks he needs or wants.
Maturity clarifies the truly important from the merely urgent. Maturity refocuses the man from image-building to authenticity. It allows a person to live 'now' instead of waiting for some ideal set of circumstances to develop so that he can really live.
Maturity brings acceptance (not apathy!) of spiritual gifts, opportunities, and yes -even limitations - and in that acceptance is found the fertile soil in which real effectiveness grows a rich crop of spiritual and relational fruit. Instead of striving to become somebody's ideal, the mature man is content to be the best at who he is.
The Word urges us to grow up. "No prolonged infancies among us, please. We’ll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for impostors. God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything. We take our lead from Christ, who is the source of everything we do. He keeps us in step with each other. His very breath and blood flow through us, nourishing us so that we will grow up healthy in God, robust in love. And so I insist—and God backs me up on this—that there be no going along with the crowd, the empty-headed, mindless crowd." (Ephesians 4:14-17, The Message)
For the disciple, maturity develops from two things: Commitment to the Truth and a Radical obedience to Christ.
We will not mature as long as we hide from the truth - about ourselves, about life, about what we've done or who we are. Jesus said it simply: "You will know the truth and the truth will set you free." Truth can be devastating. Admitting that we sin and fail, letting the Spirit of God and/or those He brings into our lives tell us the the truth, won't always be much fun, but if we face it, God will give us grace to deal with it as necessary.
James, that practical teacher, reminds us of the importance of acting on the truth. "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does." (James 1:22-25, NIV)
We will not mature if we let discipleship remain an idea that is separate from 'real life.' James tells us to 'do what the Word says!' By way of illustration, he goes on to say, "Anyone who sets himself up as "religious" by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world." (James 1:26-27, The Message)
Disciple, it's time to grow on. You're going to get older and there's not a thing you can do about that. Match aging with maturity and then you will be able to enjoy the blessings of being all grown up.
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I am Thine O Lord; I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me.
But I long to rise in the arms of faith,
And be closer drawn to Thee.
Consecrate me now to Thy service Lord,
By the power of grace divine.
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.
Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died.
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord.
To Thy precious bleeding side.
I Am Thine, O Lord
Fanny Crosby © Public Domain
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