Grow Up, Already!

Grow Up, Already

“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.”

1 Corinthians 13:11

There are a lot of ways to interpret things you read in the Bible and this is one of those verses. It is hard to understand exactly what Paul is talking about in this verse. Even if you read the whole verse, this one seems to be kind of out of place. Mostly, I think Paul was trying to tell us that we need to become mature in our faith because Christ will return. 

It is possible there is more to be explored in this verse. If you consider the actions of toddlers you will understand what I am talking about. If you put two toddlers in a room filled with toys, they will undoubtedly be fighting over the same toy within five minutes. Am I right? This is because toddlers are still immature and have a hard time understanding the needs of others. Immature Christians can be the same way. If we worship the Lord and yet have not allowed ourselves to give up our selfish wants for Him, then we are not allowing ourselves to grow in Him. Only when we allow ourselves to give up our selfishness for Him will we truly have Christ’s love within us. When you become filled with His love, you suddenly start to see the needs of others very clearly and want to help them in any way you can. This love from Christ fills you to overflowing and soon that love is flowing to others. The more love you spread, the more your heart is filled! 

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:1-3