The Look of Maturity

For a caterpillar turned butterfly, we know what maturity looks like. There are stages of growth that we recognize if the larvae is growing properly inside its encasing. If you need a refresher science course, I found this interesting video showing how this happens,! We know what to expect for the butterfly-to-be.

What about spiritual maturity? It’s not so cut and dried is it? If we are to grow as a disciple of Christ and become a disciple maker, as Matthew 28:18-20, instructs us, then we must assess whether growth is happening or not.

So what are some things we are to look for? Let’s ask ourselves if we are experiencing growth in the following 5 areas, and then let’s assess the growth of those we disciple. Let’s assess from the standpoint of progress rather than a level of maturity. We are all at different spiritual levels of maturity, so it’s more important to ask, “are we growing?” rather than “how mature are we?”

Let’s use some assessment questions to evaluate growth.

1. Are we hearing God’s call? In Mark 3:13, we read how Jesus called his first disciples: “Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those he wanted, and they came to him.” Do we experience Jesus calling us to come to Him, to BE with Him? Then do we sense His sending us out to be His hands and feet in our world?
2. Are we experiencing an ongoing personal daily walk with Christ? In John 15 we read about the vine and the branch. The branch (us) can not mature and bear fruit unless it stays connected to the vine (Jesus). If you aren’t experiencing growth, check your daily connection to the vine.
3. Are we submitting to His authority? When He speaks, do we immediately say “yes, Lord” or do we make excuses for not living out His truths? You see in Genesis 22, Abraham immediately took his only chosen son Isaac (the one who would father the nation Israel) and obeyed God’s instruction to sacrifice his son. He knew God would fulfill His promise (Hebrews 11:17-19, Romans 4:20-21) one way or the other. Jesus asks in Luke 6:46, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”One of my favorite quotes I’ve cited many times is by T.W. Hunt: “When God gives us a command, we do not need to understand His directive, we need to understand His authority.”
4. Are we becoming more like Jesus? We know that we will not look completely like Him this side of heaven (1 John 3:2), but we should be, little by little, taking on His characteristics, His attitudes, and His actions.
5. Is there a willingness to sacrifice, even if we know it’s costly? Jesus describes what following Him looks like in Luke 14:26-27: ““If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters — yes, and even his own life — he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” Rather than hate our family, He is asking us to love them less than we love Him. We can love nothing and no one on earth more than Him. We are to sacrifice our desires and wants, our purposes and plans to take up His.

Now we don’t become mature in all these areas overnight. It’s a life long journey, so keep your assessment, for yourself or those you are discipling, to the process, not the final outcome. Are you taking steps in the right direction? Are you seeing progress in maturity?

Next week we will look at some practical steps to help us to mature in Christ.

You can read the other posts here: (1), (3) and (4)

Banner photo by Luke Carliff on Unsplash