“I can’t wait! He makes it sound pretty awesome!”

“Let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding.” (St. Paul)

My favorite page in the Star’s Newspaper is comics sections. Though I don’t read newspaper every day, mostly I would turn to this section first to start my day. One day, I read Pickles by Brian Crane that really funny. The scene is when Nelson hears his grandpa wondering about what Nelson would become when he grow up.

“I kind of hate to think of you turning into a teenager someday, Nelson”

“You’ll start wearing outlandish clothes and doing weird things to your hair,” he continue,

“You’ll be listening to loud, repulsive music and doing things just to annoy adults.”

Then after that Nelson walk away from his grandpa and say to his dog,

“I can’t wait! He makes it sound pretty awesome.”*

When I read this comic, I realized that we all at some point in our childhood’s time can’t wait to grow up. Oh how many times we say this to ourselves, “I wish I can grow up faster.” Then after we grow up we say, “I wish I can grow younger again.” The fact is like it or not: we all are growing older. You’re 3 minutes older than the first time you read my article. But as we grow older, are we also growing wiser? As our age increase, are our maturities also increasing? As we physically growth, are we also spiritually growth too? Not necessary…

"Grow old but never grow up"

Warren W. Wiersbe writes, “Not everyone who grows old, grows up. There is a difference between age and maturity. Just because a Christian has been saved for 10 or 20 years does not guarantee that he/she is mature in the Lord. Mature Christians are happy Christians, useful Christians, Christians who help to encourage others and to build their local church.” Ideally, I once thought that the older we are, the more mature we should be. Back then, I’m a believer of my own theory but later after I grown up I found out that it’s not necessary like that. Too often the ideal does not become the real.

So, how to be mature in Christ?

The apostle James in his letter writes merely for this purpose. The way I read it, his theme talk is about spiritual maturity. To be mature in Christ is to be mature spiritually. The key verse setting the tone of his message is this: “… so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.” (James 1:4 The Message) There are 5 marks of the mature Christian:

1)    He is patient in testing. (Chapter 1)

Faith is always tested. We sometime confuse between testing and temptation. As you read this chapter, you’ll discover that God always tests us to bring out the best; Satan tempts us to bring out the worst.

2)    He practices the Truth. (Chapter 2)

It’s not that the immature Christians know less knowledge of the Truth than the matured ones, but they simply don’t practice what they know to be the Truth. I once prayed to the Lord that He will provide a food for my friend but never once come across in my mind to give some of mine to him. Faith without love is fake! And faith without work is dead! (v.36)

3)    He has power over his tongue. (Chapter 3)

Undeniably, this is the best example to measure our maturity. Once I read this chapter, I’m convinced that James was writing this letter especially to warn me about how unprofitable my words were. (I hope the Word would convince you too as you read it.)

4)    He is a peacemaker, not a troublemaker. (Chapter 4)

Instead of being a peacemaker, immature Christian creates troubles. “Wars and quarrels…”, James writes, “They come about because you want your own way, and fight deep inside yourselves.” (v.1) Mature Christian ought to think the matters of God more than about themselves.

5)    He is prayerful in troubles. (Chapter 5)

Mature Christian control their tongue very well. If they have to speak much, it is when they are in prayer. They pray in times of troubles. Instead of complaining about their situation like the fool does, they talk to God about it. “Are you hurting? Pray. Do you feel great? Sing. Are you sick? Call the church leaders together to pray…” (v.13-14)

Spiritual maturity is not a one shot package after we received Christ into our life. It must be develop one day at the time. Much I need to learn. Much you need to learn. As we study God’s Word together, with God’s help we will learn together and mature together. Enough being just Christian in name only, start being one that really modeling the life of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is calling us to be a mature Christian. He wants us to grow in His Word. He pleases when we takes roots in His love. Nothing is more satisfied when you becoming what God created you to be. For genuine Believer - that is awesome!

Let us enthusiastically say along with Nelson, “I can’t wait! He makes it sound pretty awesome!”

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

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*Comic script was taken from PICKLES by Brian Crane [©2011 Crane Brian, dist. By Washington Post Writers Group]