Maturity

Grandpa Ole - tobacco chewing, dribbling off his chin, auctionaire.

I’ll never forget the day I got the keys to our family car. Being 14 and living in North Dakota was all that was needed to obtain a drivers license. Was I mature enough to handle the responsibility? That was questionable, though there were no accidents. Just a bent wheel from going around a corner too fast.

Then, at the age of 20, bought my first car. 1953 Ford convertrable. Pink with a black top. Man, did I think I was the cat's meow! AS important as maturity is to drive a car, much more the maturity necessary for living a productive life. The Bible speaks to tha issue.

Study the Bible for growth in MATURITY.
Second Timothy 3:16-17 tells us, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.” That is maturity on the highest plane.

Hebrews 5:13-14 also addresses this issue. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. 14 Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.
Spiritual milk is listening to others expound on the Gospel – written or verbal. Nothing wrong with that. Just go on to add to the milk, meat. Meat, meaning digging into Scripture, meditating on it, memorizing it, studying it, producing a maturity that is stable and growing.

Maturity is best tested in adversity. How we handle the curve balls life throws at us is a measure of emotional / spiritual development. James 1:2-4 gives us a seemingly unattainable challenge in navigating tumultuous waters.
“Dear brothers and sisters,[a] when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”

The Message version of the Bible gives an interesting slant to the James passage. “Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.”

Did you hear that? “Mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.” Mature.
To “get out of anything prematurely” is a natural response. Who doesn’t want to get out of pain or turmoil? Even Jesus in Gethsemane prays, “take this cup from me;” or, “I’d sure not prefer going through this crucifixion plan, Father.” That was His human response and initially that will be ours also. However, Christ set the bar when He said, “not my will but yours, Father.”

Initially our response to a pain of some sort is, “ouch. I want out.” But as we grow in our knowledge of God and know increasingly deeper His love and care for us our maturity passes the test when we can say, “Father, I’d prefer not going through this. However, you are sovereign, all powerful, and could prevent this experience from happening. So show me how I can benefit from the trauma I’m experiencing.”

How sweet it is when we can know and trust God so well that we can face anything that life throws at us with an expectant, positive attitude – that all is well. That’s maturity!