Growing Up In Love | All About Love, Part 8
Key Thought | Spiritual maturity is not measured mainly by gifting, knowledge, or influence, but by how deeply the character and love of Jesus are being formed within us.
Key Scripture | “When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.” — 1 Corinthians 13:11 (NLT)
Paul makes a fascinating connection in 1 Corinthians 13 between spiritual maturity and love.
That is important because many people define maturity by knowledge, gifting, influence, experience, or years spent in the church. Yet Paul places maturity right in the middle of how we love and relate to other people. His point is clear: spiritual growth is not merely about what we know, what we can do, or how long we have followed Christ. It is revealed in the way the character of Jesus is being formed within us.
And honestly, immaturity reveals itself most clearly in relationships.
Not usually on platforms. Not in public settings. Not in environments where everything feels controlled and polished. It reveals itself in everyday interactions, in conflict, in disappointment, in correction, and in those moments when our pride, patience, selfishness, and insecurities are exposed.
That is where maturity becomes visible.
Childishness naturally centers everything around self. It asks, "How do I feel? What do I want? Why was I overlooked? What do I deserve? Why did that offend me?" The focus continually returns to personal preferences, personal comfort, and personal recognition.
The challenge is that spiritual immaturity can sometimes hide beneath spiritual activity.
A person may know Scripture well and still struggle deeply with pride, jealousy, offense, selfish ambition, or division. That was exactly what was happening in Corinth. The church was filled with gifts, passion, knowledge, and energy. Yet despite all of those strengths, they continued wounding one another through pride, competition, and selfishness.
Paul's message was essentially this: it is time to grow up in love.
That challenges me because it reminds me that people can mature spiritually in some areas while remaining emotionally and relationally immature in others.
Some people know how to minister publicly but still struggle privately with humility, patience, forgiveness, correction, or self-control. Some know how to speak powerfully but have difficulty listening gently. Some know how to lead publicly but have not learned how to love consistently. Others understand theology deeply while still struggling to carry people tenderly.
The truth is that spiritual maturity is revealed less by how gifted someone appears and more by how they respond when relationships become difficult.
Maturity begins to look different.
It looks like becoming harder to offend and quicker to forgive. It looks like becoming slower to speak and more patient with weakness. It looks like being less controlled by ego and more secure in Christ. Maturity learns how to remain steady when emotions rise, how to carry conviction without arrogance, how to correct without cruelty, and how to remain humble while continuing to grow.
Childishness constantly seeks attention, but maturity becomes secure enough to serve quietly. Childishness reacts emotionally to everything, while maturity learns restraint, wisdom, and gentleness. Childishness demands its own way, but love willingly lays itself down for the good of others.
And honestly, growing up spiritually is often uncomfortable.
As we mature, God begins confronting the areas where self is still sitting on the throne. The Holy Spirit exposes pride, insecurity, selfish ambition, impatience, and offense. Not to shame us, but to transform us. Not to condemn us, but to form Christ within us.
Because the truth is that God is after something deeper than outward spirituality.
He is forming the character of Jesus inside His people.
The older I get, the more convinced I become that true maturity is often much quieter than we expect. It does not always look impressive from the outside. More often, it looks like steadiness. Faithfulness. Humility. Gentleness. Patience. A softened heart that remains teachable before God.
Some of the greatest signs of spiritual growth are not louder spirituality or greater visibility. They are deeper love, greater humility, and increasing steadiness.
In the end, maturity is not about becoming more impressive.
It is about becoming more like Jesus.
And perhaps one of the most important prayers we can pray is a simple one:
"Lord, mature me in love."
Reflection
Prayer | Father, mature me in love. Expose the places where selfishness, pride, or immaturity still shape my relationships. Form the character of Jesus more deeply inside of me and teach me to love people well. Teach me to become slower to react, quicker to forgive, gentler with people, and more secure in You. Let my spiritual growth be measured not simply by what I know, but by how deeply I reflect the heart of Christ. Amen.
Key Scripture | “When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.” — 1 Corinthians 13:11 (NLT)
Paul makes a fascinating connection in 1 Corinthians 13 between spiritual maturity and love.
That is important because many people define maturity by knowledge, gifting, influence, experience, or years spent in the church. Yet Paul places maturity right in the middle of how we love and relate to other people. His point is clear: spiritual growth is not merely about what we know, what we can do, or how long we have followed Christ. It is revealed in the way the character of Jesus is being formed within us.
And honestly, immaturity reveals itself most clearly in relationships.
Not usually on platforms. Not in public settings. Not in environments where everything feels controlled and polished. It reveals itself in everyday interactions, in conflict, in disappointment, in correction, and in those moments when our pride, patience, selfishness, and insecurities are exposed.
That is where maturity becomes visible.
Childishness naturally centers everything around self. It asks, "How do I feel? What do I want? Why was I overlooked? What do I deserve? Why did that offend me?" The focus continually returns to personal preferences, personal comfort, and personal recognition.
The challenge is that spiritual immaturity can sometimes hide beneath spiritual activity.
A person may know Scripture well and still struggle deeply with pride, jealousy, offense, selfish ambition, or division. That was exactly what was happening in Corinth. The church was filled with gifts, passion, knowledge, and energy. Yet despite all of those strengths, they continued wounding one another through pride, competition, and selfishness.
Paul's message was essentially this: it is time to grow up in love.
That challenges me because it reminds me that people can mature spiritually in some areas while remaining emotionally and relationally immature in others.
Some people know how to minister publicly but still struggle privately with humility, patience, forgiveness, correction, or self-control. Some know how to speak powerfully but have difficulty listening gently. Some know how to lead publicly but have not learned how to love consistently. Others understand theology deeply while still struggling to carry people tenderly.
The truth is that spiritual maturity is revealed less by how gifted someone appears and more by how they respond when relationships become difficult.
Maturity begins to look different.
It looks like becoming harder to offend and quicker to forgive. It looks like becoming slower to speak and more patient with weakness. It looks like being less controlled by ego and more secure in Christ. Maturity learns how to remain steady when emotions rise, how to carry conviction without arrogance, how to correct without cruelty, and how to remain humble while continuing to grow.
Childishness constantly seeks attention, but maturity becomes secure enough to serve quietly. Childishness reacts emotionally to everything, while maturity learns restraint, wisdom, and gentleness. Childishness demands its own way, but love willingly lays itself down for the good of others.
And honestly, growing up spiritually is often uncomfortable.
As we mature, God begins confronting the areas where self is still sitting on the throne. The Holy Spirit exposes pride, insecurity, selfish ambition, impatience, and offense. Not to shame us, but to transform us. Not to condemn us, but to form Christ within us.
Because the truth is that God is after something deeper than outward spirituality.
He is forming the character of Jesus inside His people.
The older I get, the more convinced I become that true maturity is often much quieter than we expect. It does not always look impressive from the outside. More often, it looks like steadiness. Faithfulness. Humility. Gentleness. Patience. A softened heart that remains teachable before God.
Some of the greatest signs of spiritual growth are not louder spirituality or greater visibility. They are deeper love, greater humility, and increasing steadiness.
In the end, maturity is not about becoming more impressive.
It is about becoming more like Jesus.
And perhaps one of the most important prayers we can pray is a simple one:
"Lord, mature me in love."
Reflection
- Where does immaturity still reveal itself in my relationships?
- Am I growing more loving as I grow more knowledgeable?
- What childish patterns might God be asking me to leave behind?
Prayer | Father, mature me in love. Expose the places where selfishness, pride, or immaturity still shape my relationships. Form the character of Jesus more deeply inside of me and teach me to love people well. Teach me to become slower to react, quicker to forgive, gentler with people, and more secure in You. Let my spiritual growth be measured not simply by what I know, but by how deeply I reflect the heart of Christ. Amen.
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