We Need To Grow Up

I doubt that anyone dreams of becoming immature in life. That’s not the legacy we want to leave. Rather, most believers I know dream of the punch line in the parable of the talents in Matthew 25 as their life legacy. Here the master of the home has left his servants in charge of His home and possessions. When he comes back he says to those who have followed his instructions: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” Matthew 25:21 Evidently these servants behaved in a mature way.

How do we behave? What is being mature look like? Feel like?

I can talk about attitudes, beliefs, and words, but maturity is much larger than that. In fact, maturity has much to do with how we treat each other and how we use the gifts God gives us in life.

Paul talks about the “body of Christ” (the church) and the gifts that God gives each member of the body in his letter to the Ephesians. He says: “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, (not a complete list…see his other lists in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12) to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants (immature), tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching, and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is Christ (maturity). From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” Ephesians 4:11-16

This is a long passage, but I see that the bottom line concerning maturity is how we treat each other in the church and how we think and act like Christ would. Reminds me of the golden rule to treat others like we want to be treated…that’s maturity.

A mature church is people getting along and supporting each other. They are doing the job God has for them and they are doing it in love.

An immature church is immature people fighting over doctrine, politics, finances, carpets, status, authority, diet, dress, etc. There is no love, there is no building up, there is no work being done.

In Matthew 25 there is another parable about the sheep and goats and how God separates them at His coming back. The sheep are the ones doing the work of Christ. It’s all about how they treat people. They are shocked that they are going anything of value, but God says that they are doing it for Him.

Let’s take the maturity test…do we like and serve the people God has put around us? Our families? The people we work with? Our fellow church members? Our neighbors? If so…we are on the road to maturity. If not, we need to grow up.

Chad McComas writes from Medford, Oregon. info@thechristianjournal.org