Let’s talk about maturity
Throughout my life, I have heard the word “maturity” thrown around a lot. Sometimes thrown at me as an encouragement to grow up, thrown at others to reveal their moral deficiencies, and in some cases, it becomes a label through which someone is praised.
But one thing I have noticed is this, different people seem to have different definitions and usage of the word.
Consequentially, I think it is important for us to ask ourselves what the word maturity means to us as Christians. How you define this word says a lot about you and what you place a moral ceiling on your expectation of growth in others and yourself.
I think this is even more profound for young people, whether you like it or not, society will place expectations of maturity on you, and your definition of maturity helps you filter what part of the expectation is healthy or unhealthy.
So how do we define the word maturity as Christians?
Some define maturity strictly in terms of age and biological composition. That is, the older you grow, the more biologically developed you are, then the more mature you are. Of course, there is some element of truth in this definition. But restricting maturity to biological formation can go very wrong when we see young adults in our day who strive for the benefit of adulthood when, they know, they are not ready to bear the responsibilities that come with it. I think age and bodily development are God’s beckoning call to different individuals to live up to some certain level of “expectations”.
Another way I have seen people subtly define maturity is status. Sometimes, people easily accrue respect for certain people and tag them as mature because they have certain human status and financial stability far more than others. I must say that from God’s point of view, maturity isn’t financial freedom or more or less achievement of a particular status.
The truth is status doesn’t change people, they only reveal people. The demands of a particular position can make someone grow to be mature, but what are the chances of that happening if such a person is not on that trajectory of growth?
What about marriage? As much as I don’t think being married equates to maturity, I think marriage helps. The most mature people I have known are married. I will get to that later.
So if I were to define maturity, I would define it as conformity to the image of Christ. The Bible defines maturity as morality without any reference to status, or biological formation, you can simply check these verses Ephesians 4:15, Hebrews 5:14, and James 1:4.
The most mature Christians are not those with the best theology; instead, I would say the most mature Christians are those who have been transformed by their knowledge of God into someone who loves God by keeping His commandments and loving His people by serving them wholeheartedly.
Does marriage help? Yes, it does! People who are married learn to display the virtues of Christ to each other. Each conflict, each life decision to be made, and each new stage of marriage demands a display of Christ's sacrificial love and biblical wisdom.
What about age? With age comes experience. Older Christians have learned how to please Christ in different situations that younger Christians haven’t. Hence, they are often more mature than younger Christians and more fitting to guide younger Christians in the journey to maturity.
Thanks for hanging in there, please reach out if you have any objections or comments. Clap as much as you can if you find the article interesting or helpful.
