What It Means to “Become As Little Children”
Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:3
But what, exactly does this mean? After all, in various places, the Bible also tells us to be mature, and that we should put aside childish things.
It is all about definitions. Here is what I perceive are the definitions that the majority of humanity has in regards to maturity versus immaturity versus the definitions that God has, based on the Bible.
Mankind's Definition of Maturity:
- Is totally independent of everyone, meaning they don't need any help taking care of themselves and those they take care of.
- Is obligated to reject all gifts unless they are for predetermined events such as birthdays, holidays, etc.
- Always considers all of their finances before they are willing to give anything to anyone. It is the responsible thing to do to make sure they plan their giving appropriately.
- Does not play with toys or have an imagination. Their focus is on the real world and they don’t have time for such things. Even if they, themselves, play games, they consider those things that they do childish and immature. They do them because they want to be “like a kid”.
- Free to make whatever choices they want, to say and do what they want. They are able to decide for themselves what is right and wrong. No one should have the right to tell them what is right or wrong and no one should even try to influence them about such things. They are “old enough” to decide these things for themselves.
- To stand up for one's own beliefs even if it means facing difficult times and persecution, and even if they must sacrifice everything for those beliefs. A “real man” or “real woman” will fight to the bitter end for what they believe in.
- Reject being scolded, reprimanded and punished for behaviors others believe are wrong. Only if they are convinced that they have done something wrong will they accept being punished.
- To successfully manage all of their responsibilities and to meet all of their obligations.
- To not blindly trust that everything they are told is true. A mature person, therefore, tests all things just to be sure that they can be trusted.
- To not believe that everything will turn out okay unless they have made solid plans for how they will make things turn out okay.
- Willing to admit that they don't know or understand all things. Therefore, they are open to hearing what others have to say and believe, but then they check these things with their own sense of morality and logic to ensure that they only believe what they think for themselves is true.
- Failure is not a sign of their own lack of ability. Just because they fail doesn’t mean they are stupid or worthless or that there is something wrong with them. They recognize that because they are a limited being, they simply cannot do all things, and it is nothing against them personally when they have done something that exceeds these limits.
- Does not seek or need attention and praise from anyone. They humbly reject it whenever it is given.
- Does not need to be better than others. However, it is good to elevate themselves above others and to do what is necessary, as long as it is legal and fair, to elevate themselves. If someone threatens their position of superiority, in any way, they should defend their position, for it is theirs by right. They earned it, and they should not allow anyone to take it away no matter the cost. If their position is taken away, they should fight to get it back unless they truly have done something to deserve losing it. If they deserve losing it, they accept their guilt and their punishment. However, they will do whatever it takes, again within legal and fair rights, to get their position back later and to prove themselves worthy.
Mankind's Definition of Immature:
- Is totally dependent on others and they require help taking care of themselves and others.
- Is willing to take whatever presents are given to them without even a thought of refusing the gift for any reason.
- Is willing to give freely and without thought of whether their needs will be met. Because it is not “theirs”, they have no appreciation for what they give away.
- Plays with toys and has an imagination. They hardly focus on the real world and all they have time for is playing and games. They do not even consider whether playing with toys or games is childish and immature. They just don’t care about such things. Acting foolish and crazy is a way of life.
- Unable to decide for themselves what is right or wrong. Is able to be molded and heavily influenced by others. They trust that whatever they have been taught about right and wrong is true and correct. They don’t even need to test it. If two adults conflict on what is right and wrong, they will ask the adult they trust the most to help them figure out which is right.
- Does not stand up for their own beliefs especially when facing difficult times and persecution. They will surrender their own opinions and rights to avoid conflict. They just accept being scolded, reprimanded and punished for behaviors others believe are wrong.
- Can't successfully manage responsibilities or meet obligations without someone making them or helping them.
- Blindly trusts, assuming everything they have been told by those they trust most is true. They do not even need to test it. They know because they were told by the one they trust.
- Believe that everything will work out just fine in the end. They are naïve and require others to make plans for their lives and to manage everything for them.
- Unwilling to admit that they don't know or understand all things. Therefore, they reject what others have to say and believe, but then they check these things with their most trusted source to make sure that they are not wrong.
- Failure is a sign of their own lack of ability. It means they are stupid or worthless or that there is something wrong with them. They do not recognize that because they are a limited being, they simply cannot do all things, and it is very personal when they have done something that exceeds their limits.
- Seeks attention and praise. They crave it and attempt to do what it takes to acquire it from anyone. They will even do bad things if it means that they can get some attention.
- Has a need to be better than everyone else. If someone threatens their position of superiority, in any way, they will become defensive and lash out. They will do whatever they must, even things that are wrong, in order to reacquire their position. They will also hide wrong-doing and mistakes in an attempt to secure their position.
God's Definition of Maturity:
- Is totally dependent on God, and they require help taking care of themselves and others. They perceive that the help of other people in their lives is the method God uses to take care of them. Therefore, they depend on others to help them at all times.
- Is willing to take whatever presents are given to them because they know that God is blessing them through the gifts of others. They also trust that God is blessing the gift giver as well for being willing to give.
- Is willing to give just as easily as they receive, without thought of whether their needs will be met, for God will supply ALL of their needs according to His riches in glory. They appreciate all that is “theirs” for they know that it is not truly theirs at all but it is all the blessings of God in their lives. Therefore, they give freely because it is not theirs to begin with, and someone else needs it.
- Plays with toys and has an imagination without feeling any guilt or remorse. Because toys and playing games and having fun is a gift from God and a blessing, they embrace this and make time for fun. They do not consider whether playing with toys or games is childish and immature because they just don’t care about such things. Acting foolish and crazy is a way of life, because God wants us to have joy and to be full of life.
- Unable to decide for themselves what is right or wrong, so they don’t even try. They trust that God has already outlined what is right and wrong, and they should just do what God says. They are molded and heavily influenced, therefore, by God’s Word, the Bible, and they trust that whatever they have been taught about right and wrong in the Bible is true and correct. They don’t even need to test it. If two people disagree about what the Bible says, the mature person looks to the bible to see what it says, trusting the bible the most to help them figure out which person is right. If the mature person cannot figure it out for themselves, they will seek out the advice and counsel of those in their life that they trust the most, trusting that God will use that person to help them discover the truth.
- Stands up for their own beliefs even when facing difficult times and persecution. They will not surrender their own opinions and rights to avoid conflict. However, the mature person will recognize when the time is right to just let the issue go. They will determine, with God’s help, whether an issue is worth fighting for or not, and if they just don’t know they will ask someone they trust most to help counsel them and advise them. Rather than losing everything or damaging relationships permanently, they may surrender in some areas.
- Accepts being scolded, reprimanded and punished for behavior that God says is wrong. Willing to accept the consequences for their actions, and willing to accept when they are shown, by others, that they are wrong.
- Can't successfully manage responsibilities or meet obligations without God helping them. God often helps them through other people. Therefore, they are willing to allow others to help them manage their responsibilities and meet obligations. If they fail in these things, they accept that they are limited beings and that God must have a purpose for not providing them with the help necessary to successfully manage responsibilities and meet obligations. In other words, sometimes failing is a blessing and success is a curse, and the mature person realizes this and trusts God is working it all out for their good.
- Blindly trusts, assuming everything they have been told by those they trust most, God first and foremost, is true. They do not need to test it. They know because they were told by the one they trust, God, that it is true. They may test other people, whom they don’t necessarily trust so much, but they will never test God.
- Believe that everything will work out just fine in the end. No matter how bad things get, everything will turn out okay. They require God and others to help them make plans for their lives and to manage everything for them. They don’t try to plan and manage everything all by themselves. God is in control. Therefore, before planning all things, they ask God to guide them and direct them, and they are open and watching for Him to provide them with direction. They don't just assume they know His will.
- Willing to admit that they don't know or understand all things. Therefore, they are open to hearing what others have to say and believe, but then they check these things with God's Word to ensure that they only believe what God says is true.
- Failure is not a sign of their own lack of ability. Just because they fail doesn’t mean they are stupid or worthless or that there is something wrong with them. They recognize that because they are a limited being, they simply do all things, and it is nothing against them personally when they have done something that exceeds these limits.
- Does not seek or need attention and praise from anyone but God. However, they accept attention and praise whenever it is given, and they appreciate it.
- Does not need to be better than anyone else. In fact, the most mature person is one who does not even care about such things. To them, the idea of being greater or better is of no importance. The fully matured individual assesses needs and wants and determines who is the best fit, based on skills and abilities and God’s Will. Whether they are that person or not, they assign the right person for the right task without any thought of who is “a better person”. If someone threatens their position, rank or title, they trust that God will work it all out in the end and they will do what is right no matter what others do. If it is right to defend their position, they will defend it while remaining faithful to what God has said is good and right. If they should not defend their position, because they did, indeed, do something wrong, or because God is prompting them to simply let it go (He’s got something better waiting for them somewhere else) they will gladly accept whatever consequences they should receive for their actions. They will come forward and admit their faults, not waiting to be “found out.”
God's Definition of Childish:
- Believes they are totally independent of everyone, meaning they don't need any help taking care of themselves and those they take care of.
- Is obligated to reject all gifts unless they are for predetermined events such as birthdays, holidays, etc.
- Always considers all of their finances before they are willing to give anything to anyone. They believe it is the responsible thing to do to make sure they plan their giving appropriately. God doesn’t have anything against planning finances. In fact, He encourages it. However, an immature person, in God’s eyes, is one who is never willing to give anything to anyone without first budgeting it into their current budget. A mature person will pray and ask God whether they should give, and if they believe He is prompting them to give then they give without needing to look at all the details. The immature person will not give unless they have first worked out the details. That is the difference.
- Does not play with things that THEY consider toys nor do they allow themselves to have an imagination. They believe that everyone should focus on the real world and they shouldn’t waste time on such nonsense.
- Believes that they are free to make whatever choices they want, to say and do what they want. They are able to decide for themselves what is right and wrong. No one should have the right to tell them what is right or wrong and no one should even try to influence them about such things. They are “old enough” to decide these things for themselves.
- To stand up for one's own beliefs even if it means facing difficult times and persecution, and even if they must sacrifice everything for those beliefs. A “real man” or “real woman” will fight to the bitter end for what they believe in.
- Reject being scolded, reprimanded and punished for behaviors others believe are wrong. An extremely immature person is one who will not even accept punishment or correction at all, no matter how much people try to convince them that they are wrong and no matter how much proof is provided that shows, clearly, that they are wrong.
- Believes that they must successfully manage all of their responsibilities and to meet all of their obligations in life in order to be successful.
- To not blindly trust that everything they are told is true. A mature person, therefore, tests all things just to be sure that they can be trusted.
- To not believe that everything will turn out okay unless they have made solid plans for how they will make things turn out okay. The truly immature individual has a grim outlook on life, believing that nothing will ever turn out okay in the end. Life is just about surviving as best you can until the inevitable comes.
- Not willing to admit that they don't know or understand all things. The most extreme are unwilling to admit this EVER. They are never open to hearing what others have to say and believe, and they rarely or never check things out with anyone or anything else. They may not, in many cases, even reason it out in their own minds. The most immature individuals are ones who simply believe what they believe just because they have decided they are going to believe it.
- Failure is a sign of their own lack of ability. Because they fail, it means they are stupid or worthless or that there is something wrong with them. They do not recognize that because they are a limited being, they simply cannot do all things, and it is very personal to them when they have done something that exceeds their limits. The most extremely immature individuals are ones who act like the world has come to an end because they have failed to meet the impossible expectations they have set for themselves.
- Seeks attention and praise. They crave it and attempt to do what it takes to acquire it from anyone. They will even do bad things if it means that they can get some attention. In extreme cases, they will even crush others and steal praise and attention in order to glean it all for themselves.
- Has a need to be better than everyone else. If someone threatens their position of superiority, in any way, they will become defensive and lash out.
- Has a need to be better than everyone else. If someone threatens their position of superiority, in any way, they will become defensive and lash out. Also, even if they do not need to be better than others, they believe that it is good to elevate themselves above others and to do what is necessary, as long as it is legal and fair, to elevate themselves. If someone threatens their position of superiority, in any way, they should defend their position, for it is theirs by right. They earned it, and they should not allow anyone to take it away no matter the cost. If their position is taken away, they should fight to get it back. Even if they did something to deserve losing their position, they believe that they should do whatever it takes to get it back. They try to hide their mistakes and their faults, and they refuse to admit guilt, even, in extreme cases, when their lies have been discovered.
So, as you can see, God wants us to become like little children because a lot of what God perceives is mature is what little kids do. They trust someone in authority over them without question (usually Mom or Dad), depending on this authority figure even as we all should trust God and depend on Him. They like to play and use their imaginations, and they don’t feel embarrassed about it. They are willing to give and receive without making a big deal out of it. If they have a need, they simply ask for help without feeling ashamed.
And, one of the biggest things, they simply trust that everything is going to work out okay in the end. Because of their faith, usually in Mom or Dad or whoever is taking care of them, they believe that no matter how bad things get, they are going to be just fine. Oh sure, sometimes things will shake up this faith, but if their authority figure assures them that everything will be fine, almost every child will trust that person without question, and before you know it that kid is running off and playing again as if nothing in the world was wrong.
That is how we need to be. We need to trust God just like a child trusts their authority figure. No matter what God says, we do not need to test it. We just take Him at His Word and trust it. No matter how bad things get, we read God’s Word and see His promises, and we take that as Him assuring us, just as a parent would during a bad situation, that everything is going to be just fine.
But there are so many things that we should avoid that are childish. We should avoid seeking attention and praise, for example. We should stand up for what is right, when it is what God says is right. We shouldn’t just blindly trust everything that we are told by everyone, but we should test all things out against the Word of God, the Bible.
So I recommend that you should go over the list of things that determine Gods Definition of Maturity, and really contemplate for yourself what you think is mature versus immature. What do you think you could do to improve upon areas in your life where you are maybe not as mature?
None of us is fully mature. All of us are immature in so many ways, both in God’s eyes and in the eyes of Mankind. We all could use to improve in some ways; in many ways. So right now, start doing some things to change your mind set about maturity.
And by no means do I think I’ve even hit all of the points that I could have. I’m sure I could have listed way more things if I sat here for a long time working on it. So I also encourage you to think of other things that you could do, besides the ones listed above.
But the most important point I was trying to make here is that we need to change our perception of what maturity really is. We have all grown up perceiving maturity the way the World would have us perceive it. We perceive maturity based on Mankind’s views. If we truly want to become mature individuals, we need to start looking at maturity the way God views it.
Change your perception, and you change your focus. Change your focus, and you change your habits and lifestyle choices. My hope, today, is that as you begin to shift your perception of maturity you will begin to shift your focus and then shift your behaviors so that, in the end, you can become a mature individual indeed.
Father, I thank you for this Word. I pray that you will use it to change the lives of anyone who reads it. Thank you, God, for being so wise and so perfect. You are our example, and your ways and views are so much higher than ours. We strive to get it right, but we always miss the mark. Only when we stop trying to get it right on our own can we truly hit the target.
So I pray that You will help us to let go and to rely on You in all things and in all ways. In Jesus Name. Amen.
But what, exactly does this mean? After all, in various places, the Bible also tells us to be mature, and that we should put aside childish things.
It is all about definitions. Here is what I perceive are the definitions that the majority of humanity has in regards to maturity versus immaturity versus the definitions that God has, based on the Bible.
Mankind's Definition of Maturity:
- Is totally independent of everyone, meaning they don't need any help taking care of themselves and those they take care of.
- Is obligated to reject all gifts unless they are for predetermined events such as birthdays, holidays, etc.
- Always considers all of their finances before they are willing to give anything to anyone. It is the responsible thing to do to make sure they plan their giving appropriately.
- Does not play with toys or have an imagination. Their focus is on the real world and they don’t have time for such things. Even if they, themselves, play games, they consider those things that they do childish and immature. They do them because they want to be “like a kid”.
- Free to make whatever choices they want, to say and do what they want. They are able to decide for themselves what is right and wrong. No one should have the right to tell them what is right or wrong and no one should even try to influence them about such things. They are “old enough” to decide these things for themselves.
- To stand up for one's own beliefs even if it means facing difficult times and persecution, and even if they must sacrifice everything for those beliefs. A “real man” or “real woman” will fight to the bitter end for what they believe in.
- Reject being scolded, reprimanded and punished for behaviors others believe are wrong. Only if they are convinced that they have done something wrong will they accept being punished.
- To successfully manage all of their responsibilities and to meet all of their obligations.
- To not blindly trust that everything they are told is true. A mature person, therefore, tests all things just to be sure that they can be trusted.
- To not believe that everything will turn out okay unless they have made solid plans for how they will make things turn out okay.
- Willing to admit that they don't know or understand all things. Therefore, they are open to hearing what others have to say and believe, but then they check these things with their own sense of morality and logic to ensure that they only believe what they think for themselves is true.
- Failure is not a sign of their own lack of ability. Just because they fail doesn’t mean they are stupid or worthless or that there is something wrong with them. They recognize that because they are a limited being, they simply cannot do all things, and it is nothing against them personally when they have done something that exceeds these limits.
- Does not seek or need attention and praise from anyone. They humbly reject it whenever it is given.
- Does not need to be better than others. However, it is good to elevate themselves above others and to do what is necessary, as long as it is legal and fair, to elevate themselves. If someone threatens their position of superiority, in any way, they should defend their position, for it is theirs by right. They earned it, and they should not allow anyone to take it away no matter the cost. If their position is taken away, they should fight to get it back unless they truly have done something to deserve losing it. If they deserve losing it, they accept their guilt and their punishment. However, they will do whatever it takes, again within legal and fair rights, to get their position back later and to prove themselves worthy.
Mankind's Definition of Immature:
- Is totally dependent on others and they require help taking care of themselves and others.
- Is willing to take whatever presents are given to them without even a thought of refusing the gift for any reason.
- Is willing to give freely and without thought of whether their needs will be met. Because it is not “theirs”, they have no appreciation for what they give away.
- Plays with toys and has an imagination. They hardly focus on the real world and all they have time for is playing and games. They do not even consider whether playing with toys or games is childish and immature. They just don’t care about such things. Acting foolish and crazy is a way of life.
- Unable to decide for themselves what is right or wrong. Is able to be molded and heavily influenced by others. They trust that whatever they have been taught about right and wrong is true and correct. They don’t even need to test it. If two adults conflict on what is right and wrong, they will ask the adult they trust the most to help them figure out which is right.
- Does not stand up for their own beliefs especially when facing difficult times and persecution. They will surrender their own opinions and rights to avoid conflict. They just accept being scolded, reprimanded and punished for behaviors others believe are wrong.
- Can't successfully manage responsibilities or meet obligations without someone making them or helping them.
- Blindly trusts, assuming everything they have been told by those they trust most is true. They do not even need to test it. They know because they were told by the one they trust.
- Believe that everything will work out just fine in the end. They are naïve and require others to make plans for their lives and to manage everything for them.
- Unwilling to admit that they don't know or understand all things. Therefore, they reject what others have to say and believe, but then they check these things with their most trusted source to make sure that they are not wrong.
- Failure is a sign of their own lack of ability. It means they are stupid or worthless or that there is something wrong with them. They do not recognize that because they are a limited being, they simply cannot do all things, and it is very personal when they have done something that exceeds their limits.
- Seeks attention and praise. They crave it and attempt to do what it takes to acquire it from anyone. They will even do bad things if it means that they can get some attention.
- Has a need to be better than everyone else. If someone threatens their position of superiority, in any way, they will become defensive and lash out. They will do whatever they must, even things that are wrong, in order to reacquire their position. They will also hide wrong-doing and mistakes in an attempt to secure their position.
God's Definition of Maturity:
- Is totally dependent on God, and they require help taking care of themselves and others. They perceive that the help of other people in their lives is the method God uses to take care of them. Therefore, they depend on others to help them at all times.
- Is willing to take whatever presents are given to them because they know that God is blessing them through the gifts of others. They also trust that God is blessing the gift giver as well for being willing to give.
- Is willing to give just as easily as they receive, without thought of whether their needs will be met, for God will supply ALL of their needs according to His riches in glory. They appreciate all that is “theirs” for they know that it is not truly theirs at all but it is all the blessings of God in their lives. Therefore, they give freely because it is not theirs to begin with, and someone else needs it.
- Plays with toys and has an imagination without feeling any guilt or remorse. Because toys and playing games and having fun is a gift from God and a blessing, they embrace this and make time for fun. They do not consider whether playing with toys or games is childish and immature because they just don’t care about such things. Acting foolish and crazy is a way of life, because God wants us to have joy and to be full of life.
- Unable to decide for themselves what is right or wrong, so they don’t even try. They trust that God has already outlined what is right and wrong, and they should just do what God says. They are molded and heavily influenced, therefore, by God’s Word, the Bible, and they trust that whatever they have been taught about right and wrong in the Bible is true and correct. They don’t even need to test it. If two people disagree about what the Bible says, the mature person looks to the bible to see what it says, trusting the bible the most to help them figure out which person is right. If the mature person cannot figure it out for themselves, they will seek out the advice and counsel of those in their life that they trust the most, trusting that God will use that person to help them discover the truth.
- Stands up for their own beliefs even when facing difficult times and persecution. They will not surrender their own opinions and rights to avoid conflict. However, the mature person will recognize when the time is right to just let the issue go. They will determine, with God’s help, whether an issue is worth fighting for or not, and if they just don’t know they will ask someone they trust most to help counsel them and advise them. Rather than losing everything or damaging relationships permanently, they may surrender in some areas.
- Accepts being scolded, reprimanded and punished for behavior that God says is wrong. Willing to accept the consequences for their actions, and willing to accept when they are shown, by others, that they are wrong.
- Can't successfully manage responsibilities or meet obligations without God helping them. God often helps them through other people. Therefore, they are willing to allow others to help them manage their responsibilities and meet obligations. If they fail in these things, they accept that they are limited beings and that God must have a purpose for not providing them with the help necessary to successfully manage responsibilities and meet obligations. In other words, sometimes failing is a blessing and success is a curse, and the mature person realizes this and trusts God is working it all out for their good.
- Blindly trusts, assuming everything they have been told by those they trust most, God first and foremost, is true. They do not need to test it. They know because they were told by the one they trust, God, that it is true. They may test other people, whom they don’t necessarily trust so much, but they will never test God.
- Believe that everything will work out just fine in the end. No matter how bad things get, everything will turn out okay. They require God and others to help them make plans for their lives and to manage everything for them. They don’t try to plan and manage everything all by themselves. God is in control. Therefore, before planning all things, they ask God to guide them and direct them, and they are open and watching for Him to provide them with direction. They don't just assume they know His will.
- Willing to admit that they don't know or understand all things. Therefore, they are open to hearing what others have to say and believe, but then they check these things with God's Word to ensure that they only believe what God says is true.
- Failure is not a sign of their own lack of ability. Just because they fail doesn’t mean they are stupid or worthless or that there is something wrong with them. They recognize that because they are a limited being, they simply do all things, and it is nothing against them personally when they have done something that exceeds these limits.
- Does not seek or need attention and praise from anyone but God. However, they accept attention and praise whenever it is given, and they appreciate it.
- Does not need to be better than anyone else. In fact, the most mature person is one who does not even care about such things. To them, the idea of being greater or better is of no importance. The fully matured individual assesses needs and wants and determines who is the best fit, based on skills and abilities and God’s Will. Whether they are that person or not, they assign the right person for the right task without any thought of who is “a better person”. If someone threatens their position, rank or title, they trust that God will work it all out in the end and they will do what is right no matter what others do. If it is right to defend their position, they will defend it while remaining faithful to what God has said is good and right. If they should not defend their position, because they did, indeed, do something wrong, or because God is prompting them to simply let it go (He’s got something better waiting for them somewhere else) they will gladly accept whatever consequences they should receive for their actions. They will come forward and admit their faults, not waiting to be “found out.”
God's Definition of Childish:
- Believes they are totally independent of everyone, meaning they don't need any help taking care of themselves and those they take care of.
- Is obligated to reject all gifts unless they are for predetermined events such as birthdays, holidays, etc.
- Always considers all of their finances before they are willing to give anything to anyone. They believe it is the responsible thing to do to make sure they plan their giving appropriately. God doesn’t have anything against planning finances. In fact, He encourages it. However, an immature person, in God’s eyes, is one who is never willing to give anything to anyone without first budgeting it into their current budget. A mature person will pray and ask God whether they should give, and if they believe He is prompting them to give then they give without needing to look at all the details. The immature person will not give unless they have first worked out the details. That is the difference.
- Does not play with things that THEY consider toys nor do they allow themselves to have an imagination. They believe that everyone should focus on the real world and they shouldn’t waste time on such nonsense.
- Believes that they are free to make whatever choices they want, to say and do what they want. They are able to decide for themselves what is right and wrong. No one should have the right to tell them what is right or wrong and no one should even try to influence them about such things. They are “old enough” to decide these things for themselves.
- To stand up for one's own beliefs even if it means facing difficult times and persecution, and even if they must sacrifice everything for those beliefs. A “real man” or “real woman” will fight to the bitter end for what they believe in.
- Reject being scolded, reprimanded and punished for behaviors others believe are wrong. An extremely immature person is one who will not even accept punishment or correction at all, no matter how much people try to convince them that they are wrong and no matter how much proof is provided that shows, clearly, that they are wrong.
- Believes that they must successfully manage all of their responsibilities and to meet all of their obligations in life in order to be successful.
- To not blindly trust that everything they are told is true. A mature person, therefore, tests all things just to be sure that they can be trusted.
- To not believe that everything will turn out okay unless they have made solid plans for how they will make things turn out okay. The truly immature individual has a grim outlook on life, believing that nothing will ever turn out okay in the end. Life is just about surviving as best you can until the inevitable comes.
- Not willing to admit that they don't know or understand all things. The most extreme are unwilling to admit this EVER. They are never open to hearing what others have to say and believe, and they rarely or never check things out with anyone or anything else. They may not, in many cases, even reason it out in their own minds. The most immature individuals are ones who simply believe what they believe just because they have decided they are going to believe it.
- Failure is a sign of their own lack of ability. Because they fail, it means they are stupid or worthless or that there is something wrong with them. They do not recognize that because they are a limited being, they simply cannot do all things, and it is very personal to them when they have done something that exceeds their limits. The most extremely immature individuals are ones who act like the world has come to an end because they have failed to meet the impossible expectations they have set for themselves.
- Seeks attention and praise. They crave it and attempt to do what it takes to acquire it from anyone. They will even do bad things if it means that they can get some attention. In extreme cases, they will even crush others and steal praise and attention in order to glean it all for themselves.
- Has a need to be better than everyone else. If someone threatens their position of superiority, in any way, they will become defensive and lash out.
- Has a need to be better than everyone else. If someone threatens their position of superiority, in any way, they will become defensive and lash out. Also, even if they do not need to be better than others, they believe that it is good to elevate themselves above others and to do what is necessary, as long as it is legal and fair, to elevate themselves. If someone threatens their position of superiority, in any way, they should defend their position, for it is theirs by right. They earned it, and they should not allow anyone to take it away no matter the cost. If their position is taken away, they should fight to get it back. Even if they did something to deserve losing their position, they believe that they should do whatever it takes to get it back. They try to hide their mistakes and their faults, and they refuse to admit guilt, even, in extreme cases, when their lies have been discovered.
So, as you can see, God wants us to become like little children because a lot of what God perceives is mature is what little kids do. They trust someone in authority over them without question (usually Mom or Dad), depending on this authority figure even as we all should trust God and depend on Him. They like to play and use their imaginations, and they don’t feel embarrassed about it. They are willing to give and receive without making a big deal out of it. If they have a need, they simply ask for help without feeling ashamed.
And, one of the biggest things, they simply trust that everything is going to work out okay in the end. Because of their faith, usually in Mom or Dad or whoever is taking care of them, they believe that no matter how bad things get, they are going to be just fine. Oh sure, sometimes things will shake up this faith, but if their authority figure assures them that everything will be fine, almost every child will trust that person without question, and before you know it that kid is running off and playing again as if nothing in the world was wrong.
That is how we need to be. We need to trust God just like a child trusts their authority figure. No matter what God says, we do not need to test it. We just take Him at His Word and trust it. No matter how bad things get, we read God’s Word and see His promises, and we take that as Him assuring us, just as a parent would during a bad situation, that everything is going to be just fine.
But there are so many things that we should avoid that are childish. We should avoid seeking attention and praise, for example. We should stand up for what is right, when it is what God says is right. We shouldn’t just blindly trust everything that we are told by everyone, but we should test all things out against the Word of God, the Bible.
So I recommend that you should go over the list of things that determine Gods Definition of Maturity, and really contemplate for yourself what you think is mature versus immature. What do you think you could do to improve upon areas in your life where you are maybe not as mature?
None of us is fully mature. All of us are immature in so many ways, both in God’s eyes and in the eyes of Mankind. We all could use to improve in some ways; in many ways. So right now, start doing some things to change your mind set about maturity.
And by no means do I think I’ve even hit all of the points that I could have. I’m sure I could have listed way more things if I sat here for a long time working on it. So I also encourage you to think of other things that you could do, besides the ones listed above.
But the most important point I was trying to make here is that we need to change our perception of what maturity really is. We have all grown up perceiving maturity the way the World would have us perceive it. We perceive maturity based on Mankind’s views. If we truly want to become mature individuals, we need to start looking at maturity the way God views it.
Change your perception, and you change your focus. Change your focus, and you change your habits and lifestyle choices. My hope, today, is that as you begin to shift your perception of maturity you will begin to shift your focus and then shift your behaviors so that, in the end, you can become a mature individual indeed.
Father, I thank you for this Word. I pray that you will use it to change the lives of anyone who reads it. Thank you, God, for being so wise and so perfect. You are our example, and your ways and views are so much higher than ours. We strive to get it right, but we always miss the mark. Only when we stop trying to get it right on our own can we truly hit the target.
So I pray that You will help us to let go and to rely on You in all things and in all ways. In Jesus Name. Amen.
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