Grow Up!

“Through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established.” Proverbs 24:3 NKJV

Annoying, aren’t they.  Those brats from hell you see on ‘Supernanny’.  All that kicking and screaming, and award winning temper tantrums makes you want to wrap the kid in its soiled nappy and send it for recycling.  Thank God we’re so over the ’spitting the dummy out of the pram’ phase, eh? Or are we?

We can all have our moments  of dragging our feet because we feel like God isn’t playing fair or because we’re so stubborn in wanting out own way.  But get this:  ” God wants us to grow up…like Christ in everything” (Ephesians 4:15 TM).  You see, a Dad may love a screaming brat but he’s more likely not a fan of the outburst; well, it’s the same with our Heavenly Dad.  That’s where the discipline comes into play.  Supernanny’s legendary ‘naughty step’ isn’t designed to toture a child, it’s there to get the child to change how they think.  Well, guess what; ” we are no longer to be as children” ( Ephesians 4:14 NAS).  To change our spoilt-brat ways we must change the way we think.  In fact, we are urged to “…think the same way that Jesus Christ thought…” (Phillipians 2:5 CEV).  Imagine Jesus pulling a strop because He didn’t feel like healing a leaper today.  Doesn’t add up does it?  Little kids, by nature, think only of themselves, because they’re immature.  Don’t just think of yourself; think like Christ.  Grow up!

“Train up a child in the way he should go…” Proverbs 22:6 NIV

‘Growing older’ and ‘growing up’  is not the same thing.  You can be forty and still wobble about in spiritual nappies.  ’Growing up’ isn’t just something that happens.  It takes work.  You must want to grow, choose to grow, make an effort to grow.  When you first decided to follow Jesus, something in you was drawn to His invitation.  That’s great, that’s all you need to get started.  But where do you go from there?  How do you ‘follow’ Jesus?  Do you simply put you feet up until Judgement Day, thinking:  ” well, that’s my ticket sorted for the afterlife.”  Well, you could, but you’d miss out on the full ride that God has planned for you.  Following Jesus means trying to make Jesus-like choices and then asking His Spirit to help you stick with it.

The Jesus blueprint for choices always focuses on putting others first, not yourself.  This kind of thinking is alien to our culture, where we are told ‘chase OUR dreams’, or ‘make a name for OURSELVES’, it comes unnatural to us.  But it’s the core of  Jesus’ lifestyle, it sums up His ‘Love God; love people’ attitude.  So where are you at with your thinking?  Ask yourself now: where do I need to stop wanting my way and start wanting God’s way?  Where can I grow up?  Then ask the Holy Spirit to help you stick with it.

Be Encouraged