Living with my 3-year old granddaughter and watching her 3-year old behavior, lately has sparked my thoughts about growing up and maturity.  I am pretty sure that she does not understand the concept of gratitude—little clues like moments of orneriness after special times and exciting new treasures remind me that thankfulness and gratitude are learned, they don’t necessarily come naturally.  Of course, I do not expect her to act like an adult because maturity comes with growth, by example, and through instruction.

I also do not expect adults to act like 3-year olds, either; yet there have been times when my desires or uncomfortable life situations have captured my attention to the point that gratitude for the gifts and graciousness of my heavenly Father eluded me.  Considering the assurance given to us through the apostle Peter, “…His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:3, 4), there is no need for concern that God will not provide all we need.  In fact, Jesus assures us that our heavenly Father recognizes our needs, and we are encouraged to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).

Evidence of spiritual maturity is our ability to “bless the Lord…and forget not all His benefits….For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.  As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him.  For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:2, 11-14).

The apostle Paul encouraged the Philippian church to “be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6, 7); and to the church at Thessalonica he wrote, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).

Something else that has sparked my thoughts about Christian maturity are the playground antics and verbal bullying our society is fraught with nowadays.  So many find it difficult to express disagreement without attacking the character and identity of others who hold to opposing theological or political opinions—sadly, many Christians do this.  Often we forget that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  I like the wording of that verse – we have sinned (past tense) and fall short (present tense) of the glory of God, every one of us!  For those of us who have received God’s mercy and grace, we can do no less than humbly fall at His feet and pray that God would continue to open the eyes of the blind, particularly our own blindness as we view others.

In writing to the church at Ephesus, Paul instructed “that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ” (Ephesians 4:14, 15).  The way we speak to and about others is a measure of our maturity in Christ.  Yet, it is so very easy to forget that we are not required to convince anyone of anything—our responsibility is to speak the truth in love and allow the Holy Spirit to “convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8). 

Maturity also comes with recognizing that we have not yet attained perfection, or as Paul described to the Philippian believers, “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.  Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind…” (Philippians 3:12-15).

It is easy to forget that we live on a battlefield, and the enemy is unseen—and it is easy to get emotionally agitated, offended, or angry at the opinions and actions of others.   I believe satan and his cohorts would like nothing better than to distract Christians from the “goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus,” because, how can we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ when our attention is focused elsewhere? …and how can we possibly be witnesses of the saving grace and mercy of God when we are unable to extend them to others?

I just finished listening to an interview with Naghmeh Abedini, wife of Saeed Abedini, who is in an Iranian prison for his faith in Jesus Christ.  The interviewer (Greg Laurie) concluded the dialogue with this question, “If he (Saeed) could speak to us right now from that cell, what do you think he would say?”  Her response was, “use your freedom for the gospel!” 

For every one of us who has the freedom to speak, let us join our hearts and our voices to spread the good news of Jesus Christ to the world and not allow the enemy’s tactics or the things of this world to sidetrack us.

“Let us lay aside every weight,

And the sin which so easily ensnares us,

And let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,

Who for the joy that was set before Him

Endured the cross, despising the shame,

And has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1, 2