Growing in Christ
Lay aside immaturity, and live, and walk in the way of insight. Prov.9:6
The Wise Man, as his tendency was, encourages wisdom and understanding in this passage. He also, in this instance, offers the admonition to ‘grow up’. During your youthful days you very likely heard this admonition several times, often as a chastisement. Sometimes within the same hour you heard, “Why don’t you grow up?” as well as, “You think you’re a man, eh? Just remember you’re a child.” We lived in this realm of double messages as far as the process of maturation was concerned. But the Wise Man is quite clear here – the maturation process and the commodities of wisdom and understanding are inextricably linked.
The Wise Man, as his tendency was, encourages wisdom and understanding in this passage. He also, in this instance, offers the admonition to ‘grow up’. During your youthful days you very likely heard this admonition several times, often as a chastisement. Sometimes within the same hour you heard, “Why don’t you grow up?” as well as, “You think you’re a man, eh? Just remember you’re a child.” We lived in this realm of double messages as far as the process of maturation was concerned. But the Wise Man is quite clear here – the maturation process and the commodities of wisdom and understanding are inextricably linked.
In the familiar chapter of 1 Corinthians 13 we hear Paul saying, “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways.” The writer to the Hebrews, on the other hand, chastises, “You need milk, not solid food; for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their faculties trained by practice to distinguish good and evil.” (Heb.5:12b-14)
In the first place there is the need for knowledge. This is vital information needed for the process forward. One generally needs a basic concept of one’s destination before one can adequately set out on and accomplish the journey. Secondly, there is the need to continuously put into practice that body of information which has been acquired. As you know, ‘practice makes perfect’, and any skill that is not maintained runs the risk of being lost as the ‘owner’ becomes ‘out of practice’. Thirdly, there is the matter of progression. There needs to be a forward movement even as one practices. The parade squadron cannot march only on the spot during the rehearsals. They must also learn to move as they march.
The exhortation therefore comes to all Christians: “Grow up in the Lord, using knowledge of his word for your practice in Christian living, and be careful not to remain at the same spot always.”
Prayer: Help me, dear Lord, to move on from milk to meat as I seek to grow in my Christian faith. Enable my progress in this walk. Amen.
In the first place there is the need for knowledge. This is vital information needed for the process forward. One generally needs a basic concept of one’s destination before one can adequately set out on and accomplish the journey. Secondly, there is the need to continuously put into practice that body of information which has been acquired. As you know, ‘practice makes perfect’, and any skill that is not maintained runs the risk of being lost as the ‘owner’ becomes ‘out of practice’. Thirdly, there is the matter of progression. There needs to be a forward movement even as one practices. The parade squadron cannot march only on the spot during the rehearsals. They must also learn to move as they march.
The exhortation therefore comes to all Christians: “Grow up in the Lord, using knowledge of his word for your practice in Christian living, and be careful not to remain at the same spot always.”
Prayer: Help me, dear Lord, to move on from milk to meat as I seek to grow in my Christian faith. Enable my progress in this walk. Amen.
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