I have been thinking long and hard about being mature in the sense of being an adult. I don't really remember how the thoughts came to me, but I decided I would write about it and then use Bible passages to back my thoughts up.
There is a distinct difference between being an adult and being a real "man" or a real "woman." Sure, age marks you as such, but really in most cases you're not really a "real adult."
To me being mature can be summed up in 14 (and probably more) ways:
1. Being Godly
2. Being responsible
3. Clean language
4. Sobriety
5. Seeking truth in things
6. Not acting rashly
7. Being wise
8. Not being proud
9. Having a sound mind
10. Having healthy relationships
11. Researching before an opinion is formed
12. Having integrity
13. Having mentors
14. Having people they mentor
All of this said, I know being a mature is a process and you won't get there until you're in Heaven. I say this because I see people who I would classify as mature doing failing to do some of the things on the list. Which just makes me think maturity is a journey.
I've also come to realize there is no quick or easy way to maturity, which stinks in some ways but also makes the journey so much better in other ways. I've found that I tend to treat objects a lot worse if someone gives it to me, or at least I tend to. There is some sort of pride that goes into earning what you have that comes with hard work. I don't understand why that is or how it works, but I know it does. This makes growing up so much more rewarding because you earned it.
It's funny how God rewards maturity. Once I moved out of my parent's house I abused my freedoms quite a bit. I ended up drinking way more than I should have, but God used that to let me realize that getting drunk isn't as fantastic as everyone says it is. Once I decided to not drink God started pouring blessings on me. It's really cool to know God respects our obedience. I don't even fully know how God made me grow as I can't really fully look at myself to see how mature I am and have an accurate reading of it.
God's been telling me I'll be a youth pastor for years and I had been shirking the calling because I didn't want to go to school and I thought being a youth pastor wouldn't let me reach the "broken" kids. "Broken" to me means the people that are often forgotten by others because they are considered "unlovable."
I was talking with one of my mentors about starting youth ministry and she directed me towards doing ministry with kids in Juvie. I love this idea! I've been praying and asking if this is where God wants me and if it is, that He would show me how to get there.
Last week God reopened my eyes to the calling I have for the homeless. I was driving and there was a homeless girl freezing outside God told me I was going to be helping her and so I did. I went out and bought a blanket, food, and some other stuff for her. I decided to keep blankets and other things in my car to help the homeless. I also decided I would leave a room for Mira where I live and Mira would always have a place in my house. Mira is the name of the girl I met last week since I didn't really explain that.
Most of my favorite people are the ones who aren't afraid to tell me what I need to hear instead of what I want to hear. They're the people I go to when I need help and when I need advice. It's also nice to just sit and talk to them about stuff. It's crazy how God also blesses it when you let people speak into your life.
I hope this helped with sharing where I'm at with maturity.
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