My four year-old, Daphne, recently told me, “I’d like to grow up when I’m older.”

Don’t we all!

Daphne hit on a spiritual truth that is not fully appreciated in Christian circles—growing old is not always the same as growing up!

In other words, age doesn’t equal maturity.

Growing old takes no effort. It happens all on its own. Just give it time, and it will happen.

However, growing up takes effort. Lots of it. It means learning from your experiences. It means wanting to learn. It means being intentional about the way you life your life.

The Bible says you need to be intentional about growing up:

Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity… (Heb 6:1)

Are you pressing on to maturity?

Your pastor can’t do it for you. Neither can your parents, or your friends, or the people in your church. That’s up to you.

I’ve been a Christian for 22 years. That’s how old I am in the faith. But I always ask myself, is that how grown up I am?

How grown up are you?