1/20 & 27/19 1 Corinthians 2:6-3:23
There is a repeated theme in most, if not all of Paul’s letter to churches: It is, Grow up!
There is wisdom in staying in this lane bro. If our only focus is maturing and growing up in Christ, we will likely do quite well. You remember what it was like when you were a pre-teen – all you wanted to do was to grow up, right!? You wanted to be able to do all the things grown ups did. Interesting term – grown ups. They’ve grown up.
But we all also know that just because someone has grown up in stature doesn’t mean they’ve grown up in wisdom, socially or spiritually. Jesus did this, so too it should be our goal (Luke 2:52). So do we have that same kind of desire to grow up in our faith? As young believers in Christ, do we wish to be doing the things the “grown ups” are doing? This is a noble thing to want to emulate mature godly men and women. This is a far cry from picking sides and causing divisions among the body of believers because of how we follow after mere men and women. Stage presence in the preacher’s life doesn’t translate into God’s presence in our everyday life.
It is not wise to pick sides or people to side with. It is wise to see all sides and seek God’s wisdom considering all sides and the wisdom of the truth of His word.
It is the wisdom of God that we grow up and mature in wisdom, in favor with men and in favor with God.
Part of growing up is learning to stay in the lane God has placed us in, as in a track & field race. This means doing what God has called you to do, when He’s called you to do it, to whom He’s called you to do it. In track if you get out of your lane you can be disqualified. In other words, you’re doing what you should be doing when you’re running in your lane. You’re not interfering with others running their race and you’re just trying to do your personal best.
But staying in a lane does not equate to driving in a rut. In a rut, you’ve driven over the same ground so many times you can no longer turn even if God called you to turn, the rut is deep…
The wisdom of God is growing up. Growing up is focusing on doing your personal best with what God has given and gifted you. It is not focusing on what others can do, or might do, but on what God can do through you, when you submit yourself to Him.
We don’t need to be crafty to grow up, we need to be humble and listen for God’s leading through His Spirit and to His word when it’s taught.
Then obey.
And stay in your lane.
