Childish Things

1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.

One of the things I miss while I am on the road is toddlers. When I was a senior pastor there were always toddlers around the church. Not babies, they scare me. I’m always afraid I will drop a baby and break it. No, I’m talking about the little ones who are just walking and talking. There is something infectious about a little kid’s laugh!

I would carry on conversations with them as they babbled some incoherent baby language. I never talked “baby talk” to them, I talked to them like adults. I’m not positive which one of us enjoyed it the most, but I’m guessing I did.

Inevitably, these kids grow up. Some of the kids I coached in Little League baseball are now coaching their kids. Growing up is the way God designed us. We’re not supposed to just get old, we should grow up.

We change from concrete thinking to critical thinking. A small child who covers their face and says, “You can’t see me” is cute. A 32 year old who does it better be talking to a baby. If he’s pulling that at work meetings he’s in trouble.

It’s the same in our Christian walk. We should not just be getting older, we should be maturing. 20 years of experience and growth is not the same as one year of experience and growth twenty times. Our prayer life, our faith, and the way to talk to others about Christ all should mature and grow.

So put away the toys (except Hot Wheels, they are always cool), and dig into the maturing life that Christ wants for you. And if you see a toddler today, make them laugh for me, will ya?