“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.” -1 Corinthians 13:11 (TNIV).
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The ultimate goal for the Christian this side of heaven is maturity of life and of faith. This is a faith life borne of love, hope, peace, and a myriad of other virtues all forged through the furnace of life, bringing the believer to a resilient core -- safe with self, and safe with others too and consistently so; a blessing in fact.
The ultimate goal for the Christian this side of heaven is maturity of life and of faith. This is a faith life borne of love, hope, peace, and a myriad of other virtues all forged through the furnace of life, bringing the believer to a resilient core -- safe with self, and safe with others too and consistently so; a blessing in fact.
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Being an exemplar of maturity is a call to want it more than anything else; to want to be “adult” in the way we approach life all the time. Numerous times I’ve mentioned that being adult in transactional analysis terms means being predominantly responsible, reasonable, rational, realistic, and logical behaviour. It’s making the choice -- a decision of the will -- to engage the mind in a quest for beauty and wisdom, the achievement of a firm foundation based in the truth of what is, and not what could be or should be.
Being an exemplar of maturity is a call to want it more than anything else; to want to be “adult” in the way we approach life all the time. Numerous times I’ve mentioned that being adult in transactional analysis terms means being predominantly responsible, reasonable, rational, realistic, and logical behaviour. It’s making the choice -- a decision of the will -- to engage the mind in a quest for beauty and wisdom, the achievement of a firm foundation based in the truth of what is, and not what could be or should be.
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To see the end in sight -- oh, what a gorgeous picture that is -- emerging from the tunnel into a brand new day where fears evaporate, and to know fear is not real. This is the point of knowing a foundation based in Jesus Christ and that the world is nothing without him at the core. Solidness of faith is the basis of exemplars of maturity. Nothing really fazes them; nothing could, but God. How can they see anything but true joy for they see life how it actually is, and what’s more, they’re at peace with it.
To see the end in sight -- oh, what a gorgeous picture that is -- emerging from the tunnel into a brand new day where fears evaporate, and to know fear is not real. This is the point of knowing a foundation based in Jesus Christ and that the world is nothing without him at the core. Solidness of faith is the basis of exemplars of maturity. Nothing really fazes them; nothing could, but God. How can they see anything but true joy for they see life how it actually is, and what’s more, they’re at peace with it.
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The truth of reality is not a harsh picture. Strip away the lace curtain of fear and we suddenly see. ‘Light up the darkness,’ as Bob Marley once said, and we see suddenly that our faults and failings are covered by the brilliance of God’s grace. They always had been! The mature are not afraid of the truth, and therefore take no pleasure in lies, actively seeking truth and more of it; like love and wisdom, truth is a never-ending well of discovery.
The truth of reality is not a harsh picture. Strip away the lace curtain of fear and we suddenly see. ‘Light up the darkness,’ as Bob Marley once said, and we see suddenly that our faults and failings are covered by the brilliance of God’s grace. They always had been! The mature are not afraid of the truth, and therefore take no pleasure in lies, actively seeking truth and more of it; like love and wisdom, truth is a never-ending well of discovery.
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To eventually journey on toward being an exemplar of maturity means leaving behind childishness, fear that produces anger at what we find in reality, and belief finally in the lie.
To eventually journey on toward being an exemplar of maturity means leaving behind childishness, fear that produces anger at what we find in reality, and belief finally in the lie.
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“For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth, and to provide for it.”[1]
“For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth, and to provide for it.”[1]
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-Patrick Henry (March, 1775).
-Patrick Henry (March, 1775).
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Truth stands for itself, and wisdom is found true, and is justified, by her children[2] -- by what she, wisdom, produces. Truth and wisdom are tied together inextricably. Likewise, maturity is never found wanting. It always holds together. The process of maturity however, is a gently rubbing off of the chimeras that cling to the godly soul within. Praise God with every false thing revealed and subsequently dealt with.
Truth stands for itself, and wisdom is found true, and is justified, by her children[2] -- by what she, wisdom, produces. Truth and wisdom are tied together inextricably. Likewise, maturity is never found wanting. It always holds together. The process of maturity however, is a gently rubbing off of the chimeras that cling to the godly soul within. Praise God with every false thing revealed and subsequently dealt with.
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Let us put childish, unreal things far from us.
Let us put childish, unreal things far from us.
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Copyright © 2008, S. J. Wickham. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
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ENDNOTES:
[1] John Frost, The American Speaker, (New York: Arno Press, 1974) p. 92. Available for book review at: http://books.google.com.au/books?id=2f5EO51WiUoC&pg=PA92&lpg=PA92&dq=%22whatever+anguish+of+spirit+it+may+cost%22&source=web&ots=SF5D-q1Gk9&sig=5hoUrZitvRd8rCU_CMhpTdau5TA&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result
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[2] Luke 7:35 (AV and Gk).
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