MATURITY
What is MATURITY? The Bible defines maturity ... AND ... strangely enough, modern psychology for the most part AGREES ! ! What about the question of SPIRITUAL Maturity versus NATURAL Maturity -- no difference.
So what makes you MATURE?? Ironically the acronym for remembering these three points is P.L.O. :)
PATIENCE - LOVE - OBEDIENCE
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PATIENCE - (To Delay Gratification is the FIRST sign of MATURITY)
A BABY has to have everything .. NOW ! !
A CHILD wants it all now, but is starting to get the idea that he/she CAN’T.
A TEEN will often wait for younger siblings to open their presents FIRST.
A MATURE PARENT will give up his/her OWN wants and needs for the wants and needs of their children !
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LOVE - The MATURE person responds to STRESS POINTS with LOVE and FORGIVENESS:
An example of God the Father’s MATURITY:
Gen 18:17-33 (NIV)
17 Then the LORD said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?
18 Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.
19 For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him."
20 Then the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous
21 that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know."
22 The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD.
23 Then Abraham approached him and said: "Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?
24 What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it?
25 Far be it from you to do such a thing-- to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?"
26 The LORD said, "If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake."
27 Then Abraham spoke up again: "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes,
28 what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city because of five people?" "If I find forty-five there," he said, "I will not destroy it."
29 Once again he spoke to him, "What if only forty are found there?" He said, "For the sake of forty, I will not do it."
30 Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?" He answered, "I will not do it if I find thirty there."
31 Abraham said, "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?" He said, "For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it."
32 Then he said, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?" He answered, "For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it."
33 When the LORD had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.
An example of the Lord Jesus’ MATURITY:
1 Pet 2:20-25 (NIV)
20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.
21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
22 "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth."
23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
25 For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Luke 23:33-34 (NIV)
33 When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals-- one on his right, the other on his left.
34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
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OBEDIENCE - to HIGHER PRINCIPLES (God’s Word)
2 Cor 10:4-5 (KJV)
4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and BRINGING INTO CAPTIVITY EVERY THOUGHT to the OBEDIENCE of Christ;
Here is another translation of the same verse:
2 Cor 10:4-5 (NIV)
4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and WE TAKE CAPTIVE EVERY THOUGHT to make it OBEDIENT to Christ.
Prov 16:32 (KJV)
32 He that is slow to anger IS BETTER than the mighty; AND HE THAT RULETH HIS SPIRIT THAN HE THAT TAKETH A CITY.
Prov 16:32 (NIV)
32 BETTER a patient man than a warrior, a man who CONTROLS HIS TEMPER than one who takes a city.
Prov 19:11 (NIV)
11 A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his GLORY to overlook an offense.
James 1:19-20 (KJV)
19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
20 For the wrath of man WORKETH NOT the righteousness of God.