When I was a Child...

I hope everyone is having a great day. One of the reasons I chose discipleship, or being and becoming a disciple, as the theme of this blogspot was because there is so much to say in this area. I suspect this is true in just about every area of our Christian walk. When do we stop growing? When do we stop learning? When can we say we know enough? Being a true disciple of Jesus truly involves a full and entire commitment, just as I shared yesterday.

One of the realities that we have to live with everyday is the fact that we are indeed human and therefore, imperfect. Our thinking can be imperfect, our words can be imperfect, and our actions certainly can be imperfect. And yet, time and time again, Jesus and the New Testament writers call us to a high standard of being and doing. That is, who we are and what we do really do matter. On the other hand, this high standard goes beyond a "perfect performance" way of understanding our full commitment to Christ. It is not so much that our every little thought, word, and action will always be immaculately without blemish, but rather that the drive behind living as Jesus' disciples will always be one of reaching our full potential as disciples of the Master.

Perhaps just as many of you have, I have read 1 Corinthians 13 many times. 1 Corinthians 13, the chapter of love. I preached from that chapter recently at a wedding and a verse caught my attention like it hadn't caught my attention before. 1 Corinthians 13:11 says, "When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways" (NRSV). There was a time when we were children! We spoke, thought, and reasoned as a child. But then, we became adults and left those childish ways behind. Obviously, the Apostle Paul was using a very human experience to describe a very spiritual reality! A big part of becoming a disciple of Jesus has to do with submitting to God's word and Holy Spirit in such a way that we can move on to maturity in our faith journey. It has to do with putting an end and leaving behind our spiritual "childish ways", whatever that may look like in our lives.

The expectation of a small child is that he/she will one day grow up in such a way that he/she will be responsible, reasonable, and respectable; that he/she will mature and no longer think, speak, and act in "childish ways." This expection is certainly true for our spiritual life. Are we spiritually "childish"? Perhaps there is an area(s) in our spiritual life that needs to just leave childish ways behind. What area might that be?

Finally, this whole admonition of "leaving behind childish ways" by the Apostle Paul is enveloped in the concept of God's love. God's loving patience, kindness, and forgiveness give us the motivation and encouragement to want to grow in God's love. God's love is with us to help us as we grow.

Prayer: God of love, I thank you for the purpose you have for my life. It is my desire to follow you daily. Help me to put behind me those childish ways that hinder my spiritual growth. And help me to know that your love is present with me each moment. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

By grace alone,
Pastor David