Grow Up by Larry Perry

1 Corinthians 13:11 English Standard Version (ESV) 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.

I had a conversation with a Pastoral friend yesterday about seeing God as our provider for our personal needs. I was reminded about our growth in Christ. In seems more difficult to understand when we come to the Lord at middle age or at least after gaining some maturity. When we are born again, it is truly a start over, being babes in Christ. Becoming that mature Christian is growing up from that new beginning.

Babies only concern themselves with getting fed and making their discomforts known. You cannot expect much more from a baby. Being born again in Christ we take with us a life time of memories and experiences that oppose growth in Christ. They have some value in the world but now we are talking about Kingdom living. The older we are when we come to Christ, the more history we have to overcome.

Being fed on the Word of God will allow us to grow and like all toddlers we want to explore, make friends and be active. Like toddlers we had no idea what we would grow up to become in this Kingdom. Toddlers struggle to find their place on the playground. That is the same in Kingdom living but what worked for us in the world does not work for us in Kingdom living.

At some point in our worldly life we started taking education and planning for a future seriously. The same should happen in Kingdom living however where we made the decisions about our future in the world, our destiny in Christ has already been established.

Jeremiah 29:11 English Standard Version (ESV) For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Isaiah 32:1-3 English Standard Version (ESV)

¹ Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule in justice.
² Each will be like a hiding place from the wind, a shelter from the storm, like streams of water in a dry place, like the shade of a great rock in a weary land.
³ Then the eyes of those who see will not be closed, and the ears of those who hear will give attention.

These are the verses I ended with yesterday. The KJV begins verse 2 with a man and the ESV each. This is a reference to the indwelling Christ, our King, our righteousness. Wind, shelter, water, and the great rock are all indicators of our conformance, to be Christ like, being Christians.

But He is not hiding in the sense that He is afraid. He wants to be seen.

Matthew 5:14 English Standard Version (ESV) “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.”

Our witness to the lost does not begin with tales about the abiding presence of Christ. It is something that will occur to them once they have accepted Christ. Then their eyes will be opened. It is our commandment to made disciples and the way to discipleship is by showing His love, shining that light.

It begins with showing an interest beyond the superficial. A human perspective is easier to see if it is consistent and shown over long periods of time. Our human perspective, being in Christ, is that we were like them at one time and we understand. We have changed and not of our own accord. Our witness will be more effective if they get to know us as being real and not a hypocrite.

1 Thessalonians 1:5 English Standard Version (ESV) because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.