Putting away childish things.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became an adult, I put childish ways behind me."
Maturity is the opposite of childish and is period of time in your life after your physical growth has stopped and you are fully developed. I have noticed that when I am acting the most childish is when I am not accepting, and therefore not living in peace, with what I cannot change. It is an act to attempt to control and get my way with people places and things.
There is much talk in the church about being a "mature Christian." What are the marks of a mature Christian? Who decides?
What does it mean to be a mature person?
Does it mean that one has stopped acting like a child-- that one treats all people with respect; even those who disagree? Does that mean the mature Christian can look honestly at him/herself and notice his/her motives in dealing with others and know that one does not possess all the answers? Two qualities I admire in a person are the willingness and ability to admit that he or she is wrong and not being afraid to say, "I am sorry." Not only does that take courage; it takes knowing oneself and being comfortable with who you are. In my opinion that is a sign of maturity. Oh, speaking of opinions, a mature person has an opinion, but is comfortable if you do not share the same opinion.
One of the turning points in my faith and adult life some years ago was when I realized that life, faith, and my understanding of God and people are colored gray and not black and white. There is space for the questions and less desire for answers. The mature people that I know and respect are comfortable with the gray areas of life, this allows for tolerance of people and ideas that we may not understand. Have you noticed some of the most mature people tend to be grateful and honest? I am attracted to grateful and humble people.
Today I am going to try to put childish ways behind me.
1 Comments:
Perhaps 'maturity' and 'immaturity' aren't the most helpful terms. Perhaps 'selfish' or 'selfless' might be more helpful. But then, all of these imply some sort of graded scale, don't they? These terms require some sort of evaluation to be made, with the inevitable conclusion that some will measure up and others won't and, as you said, who decides?
When I realize my own failings the supposed shortcomings of another's spiritual life seem to fade away. In the end, Paul is talking in this passage about love, isn't he?
And I love the way your blog makes me think so deeply about this kind of stuff. Except then my brain hurts.
Oh well.
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