(Eph 4:15) but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head; Christ.
Grow up! How many times I heard those words as a child being the youngest of three brothers. I was just a kid acting my age but I was always challenged to grow up. Sometimes the challenge irritated me because I thought it was unfair to ask so much of me. At other times there was this yearning inside to really grow up. I respected my brothers and wanted to be like them. They set examples for me and I wanted to walk in their shoes. So at those times when they said to grow up it didn’t really bother me.
I think the same thing can be said in regard to our Christian life and experience. We have to grow up as believers. Paul said this to the Corinthians: When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. (1 Cor 13:11). He told the Ephesians to grow up in all things. If we don’t grow up then we slump into a stage of Christianity called being “carnal” (1 Cor 3:1-3). This is where we fail to grow up in Christ and we stay a baby. We don’t want to let go of the old life and behaviors and like a child we demand our own way with things.
What are we afraid of when it comes to spiritual growth? Isn’t it natural to grow up in Christ and to shed the childish ways? Isn’t it most true-to-life to graduate onto the next level? Are we trying to fit into the old shoes because we like the way they light up and we enjoy the “Barney” or “Mickey Mouse” label on them? My kids would just as rather die than think of how they used to wear shoes like that! Besides they would be ill fitting and cramped anyway. Aren’t children rather proud of growing up and stating how old they are? And shouldn’t we desire to grow up in all things in Christ? Peter said it this way: as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby. (1 Pet 2:2)
Brethren, let’s do the most natural thing and grow up in all things in Christ. What is the Holy Spirit saying to you regarding your walk? Are there any shoes that you’ve outgrown and need to be taken to the Salvation Army? Maturity is always the goal so people can see that Jesus is the Head of our life.
Louie