Maturity

While in the car today I listened to part of a message on maturity by Charles Swindoll. Since it's not recommended that you take notes while driving, I was thankful to find a bit in summary on his website. Here is a summary of what he states in his message on maturity; I was challenged and wanted to pass this on.

"Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that's your job, to bless. You'll be a blessing and also get a blessing."

I appreciated this list as well. It sums up the marks of maturity:

• Concern for others that outweighs personal concerns
• Detection of the presence of evil before it's obvious
• Self discipline
• Compassion and involvement
• Tempered emotions
• Consistently growing in God's Word

Would you agree with me when I say that we are never done maturing? Would you also agree with me when I say that we have no excuse for allowing immature behavior in our lives? Consider this passage, also shared by Swindoll as his source for his "maturity checklist":

Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. For “ He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.”
1 Peter 3:8-12

May we be mature, in order to be discerning about our lives.

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
2 Timothy 1:7