By Dexter H. Faulkner
By Dexter H. Faulkner
Not everybody who grows old, grows up. There is a difference between age and maturity. Ideally the older we are, the more mature we should be; but all too often this is not the case.
What’s the result? Problems in personal lives, on our jobs, in our homes and with people. Many of these problems are caused by a lack of maturity in some area.
The book of James was written to help us understand and attain spiritual maturity. “Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything!” (James 1:4). I like the way the Phillips translation puts it: “and you will find you have become men of mature character”—men and women of integrity with no weak spots.
As we read the epistle of James, we discover that these Christians were having problems in their personal lives and in their church fellowship. Members were competing for offices in the church, particularly teaching offices. Many weren’t living what they professed to believe.
Furthermore, the tongue was a serious problem, even to the point of creating divisions. Worldliness was another problem. Some were disobeying God’s Word and were physically ill because of it.
Were their problems much different from those that beset us today?
Is not worldliness—the desire to get more and give less—something we all face? It seems that James was dealing with up-to-date matters.
All these problems have a common cause: spiritual immaturity.
Look at the problems James dealt with: showing impatience in time of trouble (1:1-4); talking but not living God’s way (2:14); lacking control of the tongue (3:5); fighting and coveting (4:1); collecting material things (5:1).
Sound familiar?
Here are a few questions we can ask ourselves:
Am I becoming more patient in life’s little tests and larger trials?
Do I play with temptation or resist with God’s help from the start?
Do I find joy in God’s way, or do I merely hear and read about it?
Do I hold prejudices that Jesus doesn’t?
Do I control my tongue and my thoughts?
Am I a peacemaker or a troublemaker?
Am I close to God’s ways or am I a friend of the world?
Am I selfish when it comes to money? Am I unfaithful in paying my bills and taxes?
Do I always go to God in prayer when I find myself in trouble?
Do I criticize and gossip, or do I pray and put everything in God’s hands? Do I pray for my enemies?
We could all add to the list. Just because we have been Christians for five, 10 or 20 years does not guarantee that we are spiritually mature. We all have room for growth.
Christ gives us a mandate in Matthew 5:48: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” That is, grow toward godly maturity in mind and character.
Don’t just grow older—grow up!
Copyright © Grace Communion International, 2004