Go back in time in your life to when you were a small child. You could not wait to grow up. It seemed to you that the adults in your life had all the fun and could do whatever they wanted to do. You envied their lifestyle immensely. Then time passed and you got to be an 18-year-old but still that magic age of 21 loomed into the still distant future where you knew life would definitely reach its climax. That year finally arrived; you were then 21 years old. The light bulb finally came on in your mind as you at once realized that the best years of your life were when you were a child. The demands and lack of time to do the fun things you wanted to do made you realize were actually at your best when you were a small child. Now, though, you reached that childhood dream of growing up into an adult.
Just as growing up to be an adult from a child is a natural process of the human body, you find that becoming a mature Christian does not occur naturally; it requires work. As you survey your Christian life, you may realize that your Christian maturity is severely lacking, taking into consideration the length of time you have been a Christian. Robert Murray McCheyne hit the nail on the head when he said, “It’s not great talent whom God blesses so much as likeness to Jesus.” Becoming more Christ-like every day should be your goal; after all, Christ-likeness and spiritual maturity are directly related.
Today, as you celebrate Jesus’ birthday, let the words of the prophetic Isaiah sink into your mind, “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace” (9:6). This day we set aside to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
You have celebrated His birth many, many times and even accepted Him as your Lord and Savior. The question is: as Jesus “grew in favor with God and man”, how well have you done in growing in your spiritual maturity? It is time to grow up in your spiritual maturity. Let this Christmas Day be the day you really get serious about your Christian maturity. What better Christmas gift could you give Jesus?
