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.

The older I get I begin to understand that this passage is related to my new creation in Christ. I had always thought of this as being me in the flesh but I came to the realization that being born again, I became a babe in Christ, no matter what the age.

Maturing in Christ takes on a different aspect of maturity because there is no set boundaries as in the flesh. Bar-mitzvah’d at 13 isn’t part of the Christian maturing process. Age has nothing to do with maturing in Christ. One can be 101 and be a babe in Christ. It is possible that a person in their 20’s is fully matured. The only question left is, what does fully matured look like?

The opening passage indicated speech changes, thinking changes, and reasoning changes.  While those terms are accurate in context, the specifics of change remain vague. Does refraining from vulgar speech mean maturity? One can still be unkind even without cursing. One can be kind without being loving.

Since this passage comes right after the descriptive nature of agape love, is maturity reached when we love as God loves? That is a tall order to fill. It requires our hearts to be right even before our actions can meet any of those characteristics. Failing that, does that mean we have failed to mature?

Part of verse 12 says; “Now I know in part”. We will never know for sure in this lifetime if we have reached a level of maturity which is comparable to our finished product. “Then I shall know fully” is the next line.

Perhaps 1 Corinthians 13:11 is an encouragement to keep striving, as he says, to run the good race. I know I am not there yet, but I haven’t given up hope.