Most of us have heard such a statement, “They’re just children, so they’re easily swayed.” This is because a child’s thinking is shallow, as it is still developing and has yet to be developed sufficiently. Therefore, the child cannot make a wise judgement or decision. An adult, unlike a child, has a broader and deeper understanding so the adult is not so easily swayed.
This same principle applies to spiritual matters as well. Christians who are spiritually mature are not easily swayed either; they are not tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming (Ephesians 4:14).
Josiah was eight years old when he became king (2 Chronicles 34:1). He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left (v.2). When he was twenty years old, he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of idols (vv. 3b-7). It was not easy to carry out a major spiritual reform. There were certainly opponents. However, Josiah succeeded because God was on his side.
We are glad if we have been Christians for a long time. However, what if our spiritual state is still like that of a child despite the long years? We only want to listen to sermons or teachings that are pleasing to the ear, such as those that emphasise physical or earthly blessings, physical healings or personal achievements. When the sermons or teachings rebuke us for our sins or seek to correct us of our ungodly actions, we get angry or upset. When we are going through a trial, we complain. What we want from God is only the crown but not the thorns, the way of the cross. If that describes us, according to the apostle Paul, we are still an infant who lives on milk and is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness (Hebrews 5:12-13).
Of course, spiritual maturity does not take place automatically or overnight. It requires the Christian to be intentional in developing spiritually and it requires time as it is a process. Therefore, we must be willing to discipline ourselves to take the time to study God’s Word diligently and put His truths into practice. Let us do so then, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13).
Spiritual maturity is measured by how much our lives have been changed and renewed in Christ but not by how long we have been a Christian.