Christian Maturity

Reading the history of God’s people throughout the Scriptures should naturally tend toward a question something like the following, “Why in the world is it so seemingly common that men like David, Solomon, and Hezekiah, who have exercised wisdom and great faith and who have received wonderful blessings, later make such foolish decisions?” How did they misplace their wisdom? Is this what Christians must anticipate as they grow older in Christ? I should hope not. Thank the LORD for other examples like Joseph, Daniel, Paul, and, of course, Christ Himself.

But what of Paul? What was it that he said? “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7) While much could likely be said about what it means to “keep the faith,” I desire to mention what is likely one of the simplest definitions.

One dark, wet night some years back, my family and I were traveling an unfamiliar route several hours from home. We damaged the front of our car by hitting a large animal in the middle of the road, and consequently, found ourselves continuing our journey on unfamiliar, wet, unlit, country roads with only one bright headlight. We soon rediscovered the value of reflectors spaced at close regular intervals down the middle of the road, by which safer navigation is made less stressful. The absence of those reflectors made us more grateful for their occasional reappearance.

Psalm 119:105 states that “[God’s] Word … a Light to [our] path.” God’s Word is our metaphorical reflectors. Christian maturity is not becoming so confident in our own driving skills that we assume we can safely navigate any typical route with only an occasional glance at the road, as much as it is developing the consistency of humbly gauging and correcting our position relative to the Reflectors in all matters of life, truth, and holiness.

Always, always, always check the Scriptures. “Keep sound wisdom and discretion: … Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.” (Proverbs 3:21b,23)