What is Maturity?

If we wish to grow into men and women of courage, we must know what it means to be mature.

As I look back at my teens, I had false notions of maturity. I thought that in order to be an adult, I had to merely give up the stuff of my childhood for what seemed more adult. I would give up Lucky Charms for Honey'n'Bunches of Oats. I would give up my favorite websites for the more serious variety. I would give up conversations with imagination for more adult topics.

I didn't give up as much as I hoped, but it didn't matter; to begin with, I was still the same boy that I started out. It was not true maturity.

So if to throw away childhood surroundings is not maturity; what is maturity? I believe Dave Ramsay, a financial counselor defines maturity in the correct direction when he states that maturity is the delay of pleasure.

Polishing his definition a tad, maturity looks like the active planning of activities into their appropriate times. That is oversimplified; but it is a good start. Take sleep for example: restful sleep is a gift from God; (Psalm 4:8; Proverbs 3:24) but there are times where sleep is not appropriate. (Proverbs 10:5; Proverbs 20:13) It takes wisdom to sort all of the positioning and timing; however we have God's word to enlighten us, if we diligently apply ourselves to study and ask in faith that He will generously reward it.      

It starts with priorities. What matters so much to you that you are willing to lay your time and energy to pursue it to the fullest extent possible? And how does everything, that you come into contact with, fit into that? Jesus commanded us to seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness; then promised us that if we did so, all of the necessities will be added to us.

Once we get into the habit of organizing activities and responses in their proper places, we should be more prepared to handle the bigger responsibilities that God may place on us to be carried out to His glory.