February 27, 2014

Don't Waste Your Aging

We don’t become more mature just by getting older. I wish we did, because if that was the case, I’d be all set. Now, I’m not the oldest person I know by far, but I’m working on it; getting older every day. That doesn’t take any effort on my part – it just happens; my hair just gets thinner and my moustache just becomes more white than brown. The maturity part, on the other hand, doesn’t just happen. That takes effort and deliberateness on my part. My goal is to “attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” (Eph 4:13).

So how do you get there? I think one way to maturity is revealed to us in Hebrews 5:14, “But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” In verse 13, the writer admonishes those who are immature because they are “unskilled in the word of righteousness.” So then, I become mature through “constant practice” with the “word of righteousness” as I learn to distinguish “good from evil.” Some “for instances” always help me. For instance, Ephesians 5 tells me to love my wife as Christ loves the church. That doesn’t just happen. Laziness and thoughtlessness are the fallback modes for me and there’s lots of inertia to overcome. But realizing what I’m commanded to do, I look for ways to love my wife ala 1 Corinthians 13, which is full of action words, and Philippians 2:3-4, which tells me to put her interests before mine. That’s distinguishing good from evil (being loving instead of selfish and lazy) through constant practice (serving her morning tea, cleaning the kitchen, being attentive to her on a daily basis).

There could be many more “for instances” but it boils down to figuring out how Scripture applies to me and then deliberately putting it into action. It’s all part of that sanctification process and it’s most often accomplished in the small areas of life. That’s where the “constant practice” comes in. It takes constant practice to fight small sins in my life, but that’s what keeps them from growing into big sins. I work at it every day while relying on God to convict me and strengthen me (Phil 2:12-13). It takes effort and deliberateness, but at least I can become more mature at the same time that I’m getting older.

February 27, 2014

Don't Waste Your Aging

We don’t become more mature just by getting older. I wish we did, because if that was the case, I’d be all set. Now, I’m not the oldest person I know by far, but I’m working on it; getting older every day. That doesn’t take any effort on my part – it just happens; my hair just gets thinner and my moustache just becomes more white than brown. The maturity part, on the other hand, doesn’t just happen. That takes effort and deliberateness on my part. My goal is to “attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” (Eph 4:13).

So how do you get there? I think one way to maturity is revealed to us in Hebrews 5:14, “But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” In verse 13, the writer admonishes those who are immature because they are “unskilled in the word of righteousness.” So then, I become mature through “constant practice” with the “word of righteousness” as I learn to distinguish “good from evil.” Some “for instances” always help me. For instance, Ephesians 5 tells me to love my wife as Christ loves the church. That doesn’t just happen. Laziness and thoughtlessness are the fallback modes for me and there’s lots of inertia to overcome. But realizing what I’m commanded to do, I look for ways to love my wife ala 1 Corinthians 13, which is full of action words, and Philippians 2:3-4, which tells me to put her interests before mine. That’s distinguishing good from evil (being loving instead of selfish and lazy) through constant practice (serving her morning tea, cleaning the kitchen, being attentive to her on a daily basis).

There could be many more “for instances” but it boils down to figuring out how Scripture applies to me and then deliberately putting it into action. It’s all part of that sanctification process and it’s most often accomplished in the small areas of life. That’s where the “constant practice” comes in. It takes constant practice to fight small sins in my life, but that’s what keeps them from growing into big sins. I work at it every day while relying on God to convict me and strengthen me (Phil 2:12-13). It takes effort and deliberateness, but at least I can become more mature at the same time that I’m getting older.