Do I Really Need to Grow Up?

Grow up? Really?

I know, I know, men are boys with bigger toys. My son said this week, “It’s going to be easy to buy me Christmas presents
this year, but it’s going to be an expensive year.”  He’s experiencing what every man knows.

We may not want to grow up but God wants us to grow up.

God wants you to mature. He wants you to grow more-and-more into the image of His Son, who was an exact representation of the Father. The world needs to see Jesus in you.

Jesus said:

“In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.” Matthew 5:48 (MSG)

Paul wrote:

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. Ephesians 4:14-16 (The Message)

Paul told Timothy to establish elders in Ephesus and one of the criteria was that they couldn’t be a neophyte – “newly planted” or “recent convert”. It makes sense to us as it must have to Timothy. You don’t put a young Christian, in a leadership position.

But did you know when Paul wrote this to Timothy the church in Ephesus was not much more than two years old? Before Paul arrived in Ephesus, there were no Christian and he spent two years there. There wouldn’t be anyone in the church longer than two years.

His definition of “recent convert” is different from ours today.

It could be because we don’t suffer persecution to the point of shedding blood. I’m not saying you have to look to be a martyr, I am saying there’s something wrong with the church in North America if people can be a Christian for two years and not see spiritual, emotional and relational growth. We need to know how to help others grow up.

Now Paul also wrote:

I’m not writing all this as a neighborhood scold just to make you feel rotten. I’m writing as a father to you, my children. I love you and want you to grow up well, not spoiled. There are a lot of people around who can’t wait to tell you what you’ve done wrong, but there aren’t many fathers willing to take the time and effort to help you grow up. It was as Jesus helped me proclaim God’s Message to you that I became your father. I’m not, you know, asking you to do anything I’m not already doing myself. 1 Corinthians 4:14-16 (The Message)

God wants you to mature. He wants you to grow more-and-more into the image of His Son, who was an exact representation of the Father. The world needs to see Jesus in you.

I’m starting a series on Moving From Milk to Meat. It’s about growing up in our Christian journey. I’ve done a version of this as a podcast you can listen to here and here. Or stay tuned to the posting I’ll be getting through in this series.

Are you trying to grow up?  Love to hear what you’re doing. Tell me about it.

photo credit: Smabs Sputzer