June/July
2013 - Vol. 68
CHALLENGES IN LIVING
TOGETHER AS COMMUNITY
.Growing
Up in Maturity
.
by
Tom Caballes
This
is to continue until all of us are united in our faith and in our knowledge
about
God's Son, until we become mature, until we measure up to Christ,
who
is the standard. –
Ephesians 4:13
Probably all of us have experienced “growing pains.” But I remember too,
when I was younger, my parents and other people tell me to “grow up.” What
they are meaning is for me to act my age, and not be childish. Because
of the ‘flesh,’ it is more ‘natural,’ convenient and easier to be immature
and irresponsible. In the Christian life, God desires us to “grow up” as
well and not be childish in our behaviour. Our goal is to be like Christ
in our character. In our Christian walk, it is much easier to be childish
too – lazy, irresponsible and selfish. Do people around us – families,
friends, brothers and sisters – see Jesus in us?
So How Do We Grow
Up to Become More Christ-Like?
-
We need to desire to grow in maturity. We need to take stock of where we
are in different facets of our lives and see where there are discrepancies
in our attitudes [selfishness, pride, anger, etc.] and behaviour to that
of what we are supposed to be.
-
Face challenges and difficulties in a mature way. Ordeals can make us grow
– but only if we have the right perspective about it. It can also bring
us down if we allow it to do so by acting in an immature way. We need to
identify the areas where we can grow as we face those trials in life. We
can ask: what is the loving thing to do?
-
As we face different situations in life, we can ask: what is the mature
way of responding or reacting to the situation? How would Jesus react?
We can also try to see the opposite – the immature way of reacting – and
decide not to do it. We need to decide to do the right thing.
-
We need to let go of childish and immature way of behaving and reacting.
If we see people doing well and prospering, we need to be happy for them
and avoid that question – what about me? When I was a child, I spoke
like a child, thought like a child, and reasoned like a child. When I became
an adult, I no longer used childish ways. [1 Corinthians 13:11]
-
We need to learn habits that lead to Christian maturity. How? By immersing
ourselves in daily prayer and with God’s Word; by building relationships
with people who are also becoming like Jesus; and by surrendering our childish
or ‘adolescent,’ selfish hearts and minds to God.
-
Lastly, we need to be patient with ourselves. The goal of being Christ-like
will take a lifetime. Little by little, everyday…until people can see Jesus
in us.
Other Scripture References
-
Endure until your testing is over. Then you will be mature and complete,
and you won't need anything. [James 1:4]
-
Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom,
that we may present everyone mature in Christ. [Colossians 1:28]
-
Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into
him who is the head, into Christ… [Ephesians 4:15]
-
Other Scripture references: Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:9-10; 1 Cor
14:20.
For Personal Reflection
and Group Sharing:
-
In my walk with God, do I try to grow up to be more like Him every day?
-
Where and when do I tend to act childishly? Where are my weak points? How
to I grow and overcome them? Who can help me overcome them?
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Tom Caballes is the National
Senior Administrator and a National Coordinator of the Lamb
of God, a community of the Sword of the Spirit with 7 branches located
throughout New Zealand. Tom also leads Kairos
New Zealand, an outreach program for high school, university, and post-university
aged people.
Tom and his wife Mhel and
their two daughters live in Wellington, New Zealand.
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