Day 81, Year 1 Striving for an Adult Mindset

“But when I became a man, I put away childish things.” (1 Corinthians 13:11b NKJV)

I feel that those who live in urban areas might have a weaker desire to grow into adulthood compared to rural people. This is because people living in rural areas witness the growth of animals and plants, which could inconspicuously encourage them to pursue personal growth. In contrast, many things surrounding urban people are inanimate, and these things often go through the process of decaying. Witnessing the ceaseless process of decaying might even trigger some people’s nostalgia. As a result, urban believers might be resistant to growth in faith. But praise the Lord for He promises us the best is yet to come.

Furthermore, people living in rural areas have more opportunities to engage in physical labor to cooperate with God and experience the greatness of nature and His love. In contrast, urban people are often surrounded by artificial things and even sins, which makes some susceptible to anxiety and fear. Also, various sins of the adult world might trigger some young people’s resistance to growing up. Therefore, people might need to eliminate specific barriers, such as their dependence on materials, or their anxiety or fear of growing up. In light of the above, I would like to encourage urban people to spend more time in nature, connecting with the life created by God and His natural work. 

The phrase “when I became a man” in today’s verse seems to imply that as the human body grows, God is willing to impart wisdom, strength, and energy to enable us to grow and put away childish things one by one. The Bible assumes that people are inclined toward goodness, doing good, and loving life; because without that inclination, our ancestors would probably go to self-destruction long ago. This inclination toward goodness and love of life also drives people to make decisions that make life better constantly. Of course, some people are indecisive. Perhaps, their past experiences of making wrong decisions have undermined their decisiveness. The “put away” in today’s verse should be a constant experience for believers because we have to decide to let go on the path of faith continually. For instance, I was quite hesitant about whether to give away some Christian books that had helped me. However, thinking about someone else in greater need who would benefit, eventually, I am happy to give them away. Later, I understood that if I let go of something wrongly, the Lord would give it back to me later. And this is my real-life experience.

Reflection questions:

1) Do you need to spend more time outdoors to feel the awe-inspiring work of God in nature and feel His power to grow?

2) Do you desire to grow spiritually, and are you unafraid to let go of childish things, including so-called pleasant memories? Why?