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Dear God of Words,
I'm getting this feeling that you're trying to tell me that I'm not a mature believer. So I figured I have to write to you and sort this nonsense out.
What are you going on about, God? I do all that I'm supposed to. I would never venture off the beaten path, LEST I FALL <insert dramatic inflections>
I'm proper, I promise! I never add unwarranted meaning into anything I read from your Word. And I don't think I've dared to pray a prayer asking for a thing for myself.
If that isn't mature, what is?
Regards, <insert a fixing of the collar>
Im<to insert space or not to insert space? That really is the question!>mature
Dear Im<I'm going to let you make that call after reading this letter>mature,
Oh, proper you are, kid! Not a question there. You're right, I'm yet to hear you pray for yourself, and sometimes you don't want to see meaning in my Word that I might actually want you to. I love you, child, but sometimes you're "proper" to a fault.
Tell me this though, are you proper because I want you to be or because not being proper scares the wits out of you? Do correct me if I'm wrong, <insert smirk, I'm never wrong!> but it seems to me that you try so hard to get it all right because you're petrified of making a mistake. It has a lot less to do with Me than you think.
But let's come to the matter at hand, shall we? After all, you wrote to the God of Words and I definitely need to set right what the call to be Mature is about. A good rule of thumb is this, little one - Not Childish but Childlike. <insert rolling motion with the hand as you repeat it in your head a few times and it starts making sense>
Yes, you once thought and acted like a child. And I, your doting Father, held your hand and kept you from fires you didn't realize were dangerous or rocks that would cause you to stumble. But you're growing up now and yes, I do expect you to no longer walk head-first into walls. Yes, you must grow from your childish ways. But no, that does not mean that you have to now walk on your own.
I want you to grow in wisdom and knowledge, child, but I also want you to grow in faith - to abandon childish understanding but to embrace childlike wonder. Many times, those two might look like they are diametrically opposed, but through My Spirit who dwells in you, you can find that balance.
- the balance that causes Peter to say "Lord, where will I go, eternal life hangs on your word?" but also to say "Lord, say the word and I'll walk on water."
- the balance that causes John to proclaim profound truths of Word that became flesh but also constantly refer to himself as the "disciple Jesus loved" in childlike wonder at being loved the way he was.
Being a Mature believer is about growing in understanding about My character and will, as much as it is about trusting in that character and will enough to step out of your comfort zone. <insert mic drop>
All my love,
The God of Words
P.S. I'm glad you finally broke out of that shell and decided to write to me to "sort this nonsense out." We should make this a regular thing!