What Mature Christians Know . . .

Have you ever met a mature Christian? Aren't they the ones who are a bit different, who every one goes to for godly advice, for comfort, for wisdom? They are invaluable to the Church, and their love for the Lord is very obvious. What makes them such people? What sets them apart? I believe mature Christians have matured in the faith because they have made the effort to do so. They realize that effort is not a one time event and have spent their lives growing up spiritually. And there are some things one learns as they grow in the Lord. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but I believe these are some things that mature Christians know:

1. Faithfulness has to do with more than just church attendance.
God expects His children to be faithful in all things, faithful to their spouses, faithful
with their affection, and faithful in their devotion to Him. We are to be faithful just
as He is faithful. Our faithfulness to Him manifests itself in various ways, I believe
attendance is but one way.

2. There is no substitution for mercy and grace.
We cannot claim to love one another and not be merciful and kind. We cannot expect
others to earn our benevolence any more than we are required to earn our salvation.

3. It is possible to disagree in a loving manner.
We will never agree 100% with anyone 100% of the time, however disagreements
should not be used as excuses to verbally harm our brothers and sisters. It hurts
the church and disappoints the Father.

4. Not everything is worth fighting over.
If Jesus would deem the issue not worth fighting over, then so should we. As we
grow and mature in the faith, we should become adept at putting our own opinions
aside and looking out for our brothers.

5. Self-sacrifice is necessary for spiritual growth.
One will never grow so long as they are "looking out for #1". Even when Jesus was
hungry and tired, He stopped to heal, feed and teach.

6. A healthy relationship with God requires consistent two-way communication.
We will never have the kind of relationship God desires when He does all the
talking (through His word) and we speak to Him only when we have a need,
and rarely, if ever, take the time to listen.

7. The things we have are not ours, they are not worth dying for, fighting about or lying to get.
All that we have is given to us. It is temporary and corruptible. There is not one
house, one car, one boat, one rifle, or one bank account that will go with us to
eternity. The time spent accumulating and maintaining these things could be
used in a much more productive and spiritual way.

8. Worship should be joyful.
My dad used to tell a story about a little boy who saw a couple of donkeys grazing in
a field, and noting their "sad" expressions, asked if they were Christians, too. How
sad it is that worship has become a time to simply fulfill duty, to be entertained,
or to socialize with our friends. Worship should be an expression of our hearts to God.

9. God blesses His people here on earth as well as eternally.
There are so many blessings that are unique to God's people. We have the Holy Spirit
to comfort, guide and lead us. We have the promise of answered prayers. We get to
be a part of a family--a family of priests and kings. And we have hope---

10. Death is not something to be feared, it is neither a tragic ending nor a fearsome event.
Death has no power over us. Defeated in the tomb, death is powerless. Death
is simply the stepping stone to life eternal with the Father, not dreaded but
anticipated and yes, even hoped for.

I truly believe that mature Christians think, speak and live differently. They do this because they have the wisdom that comes with growing up in the Lord. They know certain truths and they live their lives by these truths.
Can you think of some other things "mature Christians know"?

Peace
Neva