Reflecting Christ: Baby Steps

 

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. Ephesians 4:15

I look back on my early years walking with Jesus in a bit of amazement. I remember clearly, sitting in the church library, where we met for adult Sunday School, thinking, “I could never lose this passion and fire! I will never struggle with doubt!” I chuckle and shake my head at this innocence, this immaturity. I also remember being drawn by different teachings and confused. During one season I felt distinctly that I should always wear a hat when at church, and that other women who weren’t were clearly sinning (1 Corinthians 11:6). During another season, I believed that I had to do my Bible study first thing in the morning – like it was pivotal to my salvation. I couldn’t do it once my babies woke up, so I tried getting up before them, but they kept waking up earlier and earlier. Next think you know, I’m getting up at 3am trying to do my Bible study before the babies wake up and, wouldn’t you know it, they wake up at 3am! Turns out God loves me even if I do my Bible study at bedtime instead of the morning 🤪.

 So how did I get from there to where I am now? No, I don’t count myself as the paragon of Biblical maturity, but I definitely have more peace, direction, and a clearer walk with the Holy Spirit. Life. Experience. Time. Maturity doesn’t happen in the blink of an eye. I think that’s why God doesn’t “magic wand” us even though we wish He would. He knows that it takes time and experience to build maturity as we walk through life. How does a baby learn to walk? He doesn’t just sit up from his crib, swing his legs over the side and take off. No! First he learns to roll over. Then, slowly, after weeks of having rolled over, he rocks back and forth and pushes himself up onto all fours – usually followed by falling on his face. Then, after being sat up and surrounded with pillows for months, he learns to sit up by himself. Finally, one day (perhaps after an intense sugar rush – ask me about that story) they see something just out of reach when they are up on all fours and they decide to try to get it. They move their hand forward, and then a knee, and the next thing you know, they are crawling! Now they’re really getting around the house, and causing the havoc to prove it. And yet, there are still things just out of their reach – like that yummy French fry up on the table. So they reach up for the table, and pull themselves up. Now they’re standing! After practicing this 17 dozen times, it becomes pretty natural, and they are used to feeling their legs under them. Now, the idea of going back to the floor and crawling a few feet to get between surfaces doesn’t seem as appealing. What if they did what all the grown-ups around them do and just moved their feet a little? Yep, now they’re walking. No way they could go from laying in the crib, unable to control their limbs at all, to walking in a day. They had to learn to use their muscles, build up strength in them, and then build the “muscle memory” needed to accomplish one step after the other.

 Do you think about walking, or do you just do it? Ok, I confess, there are times I have to think about walking, but that has to do with pain and neuropathy. Typically, though, if I want to move across the room I just do. It’s the same with my “walk” with God. It took a LONG time for me to learn to roll over, press up on all fours, crawl, stand, and finally walk with God. There were a fair number of bumps and bruises along the way too. But, where I used to agonize for weeks over a choice, seeking out wise council from a dozen bystanders, praying and begging for clarity, now I just ask God and have peace about it. I know that He’ll show me what to do and when to do it. I don’t have to know in advance when that will be, I can just rest in the knowing that He will be with me and help me with it when it comes. Now, instead of wondering how to hear from God, I just do. I know the voice of my Shepherd and when He speaks to my heart, it is clear to me. I couldn’t have done that 20 years ago, I hadn’t built up the “muscle memory” or experience. But now, I am so glad that I have a relationship with Jesus where I don’t just talk, I get to listen too.

Here's the Thing: Just like not every baby has the same path to walking (my third child rolled over multiple times in the hospital just after being born but then didn’t walk till nearly 18 months!), not every Christian has the same path to maturity. We must all go about it in our way, but we must all go about it. Staying in immaturity will benefit no one!