Luke 2:52 "Jesus matured, growing up in both body and spirit, blessed by both God and people" (The Message Version).
When my children were little we would have them stand against the wall and mark their height. It was always fun to see how much they had grown. But when Hormone started his growth spurt, every month for several months in a row, he grew approximately a 1/4 inch. I have many wonderful memories of all of us, including our first dog, Puppish, running to the wall every few weeks to see if this phenomenon would continue. Hormone eventually maxed out at a smidge under 6'5" tall, but just wearing a pair of socks put him at that height.
That marked wall is still in my bedroom - I refuse to paint over it - and I love looking at it. But this morning when I caught a glimpse of it the above verse came to mind. Growing physically is important, but so is spiritually. It leads to blessings from God and people.
God is proud of us when we hold our tongue, turn the other cheek, give to those in need, speak the truth in love, forgive freely, practice patience, put on a smile for the world, keep our anger in check, dispense grace and mercy in generous doses, and serve others.
All of the above starts to happen as we grow in our walk with Him, and it's important because it makes us better people. Better people have better relationships, and that leads to a better quality of life. This is why it is so important to grow up.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, Everything You encourage us to do and be is always about making our lives better. You ask us to grow up so You can bless us. Help us to let go of any behavior that is counterproductive. In Jesus' name, AMEN.
