Mature: having completed natural growth and development : RIPE (Merriam Webster Dictionary)
I’ve never used the word “mature” to describe fruit. Usually I think “Wow! This is so delicious” when I take a bite of fully ripe fruit, but I think it’s safe to say that I have never thought “Wow! This fruit is truly mature. It’s reached its full fruit potential.”
What is maturity? According to various definitions, maturity is reaching full potential or being physically and mentally fully developed. Basically, when something or someone is mature, it is fully grown, or complete. Maturing is the process by which fruit becomes ripe, and by which babies become adults. The process of maturing is what transforms youthful passion and naivete into the subdued, discerning wisdom that often accompanies old age.
In recent years I’ve become aware of some inconsistencies that we as Christians hold when we assess others’ maturity. Part of the difficulty seems to arise from the reality that many of us as Christians have blended a biblical understanding of maturity with a worldly understanding, entangling our relational and emotional dynamics with somewhat random judgements of our own and others’ characters.
So how do we as Christians define “maturity”??
I personally have believed all sorts of off base definitions of maturity, fabricated from a mixture of my own idealistic imaginings, outside cultural influences, and a spattering of potentially Bible based thinking. Some of us judge a person’s maturity on how confident and outspoken they are, how developed their talents and abilities are, good organizational habits, money and time management, how many children one has, how many levels of education one has received, or a person’s job title, or even a person’s introverted, analytical disposition. Within the church we sometimes judge a person’s maturity on how many theological words they use, or on how many non-essential doctrines a person grasps.
When I began considering how very diverse and even contradictory our various definitions of what it means to be mature are, it became apparent to me that understanding the Bible’s presentation of maturity is something most of us should probably turn our attention to for a bit, for the sake of our own growth that we may love others with more care and discernment, and that we may delight more in the generosity of Christ in the work of the Spirit.
What did I find in my reading? Lots about drinking milk like infants when we should be eating solid food. Stuff about bearing good or bad fruit, pruning, discipline, and hope. Definitely not anything about whether or not your friend homeschools, how well your pastor speaks, how much money your brother saves each year, or what flavor of music the music leader at your church selects for worship. I didn’t see anything that mentions laundry being cleaned and put away neatly at all times, or any verses that hint at empty sinks. The passages I read did not harp on good time management, having the right job, weighing the right amount, eating the right foods, or pleasing the right people.
Maturity, funnily, is used in a very horticultural sense in many verses, often leading to or following passages that describe how the Holy Spirit tends to our hearts. He nurtures and produces beautiful, ripe fruit in our personalities, sweet and satisfying to the soul, just as your favorite fruit is sweet and satisfying to your mouth. Good fruit is pleasing, nourishing, and hydrating, and it takes time to ripen. The Bible challenges us to think of maturity in the same way. Maturity of character is gentleness. It is kindness, understanding, and self-control. It is knowledge, faithfulness, goodness, and humility. All these things are tied together in one mind-blowingly flavorful, delightful, and nourishing fruit that the Spirit works in those whose hearts turn to Him. This fruit takes a full season to grow and ripen as the Spirit brings it into full flourishing in our hearts.
I have a challenge for you, sisters and brothers: take some time to examine your understanding of maturity. In today’s terms, the word “success” may be a better word to use. Grab a notebook and your Bible. Write down some thoughts on what you think it means to be successful as a Christian. Then open up the Bible. Search passages that mention fruit and maturity. Read the words of Jesus. What does the Bible say it means to be a successful Christian?
According to Jesus, a penniless widow and a friendless prostitute can be more spiritually successful than a prominent religious leader or a wealthy law keeper. A poor, stinky beggar can be more spiritually successful than a respectful, hard working family man. Hmm.
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