November 30, 2025

I can remember when I was a kid I couldn’t wait to use the riding mower to cut the grass. When my dad was doing it I would see him and think I could do that but when I suggested it I would be told that I could when I was older. After a while I reached the age where I was able to safely operate the mower and I was not just allowed but expected to cut the grass. What happened? 

As I matured the expectations my parents had for me changed. Anyone with children knows how this works. We would not give an infant steak, and we expect a 12 year old to be able to cook if needed. Just as there is a reasonable expectation of growth for children there is also one for Christians.

The author of Hebrews wanted to make some points about Jesus priesthood as it connected to that of Melchizedek in the fifth chapter of that book. He stops short though and instead of making his point (which he will do later) he addresses a concern he has with the recipients of the letter. In verses eleven through fourteen the author expresses his frustration at the fact that the Christians he was writing to would not grasp his point. He says by this time they should be teachers but instead still need someone to teach them the basics of Christianity. 

This reveals that God has expectations for us to mature at a certain rate. It’s hard to tell how long the recipients of Hebrews had been Christians but however long it was they were not maturing at a pace that was acceptable. This is a hard passage to face since it challenges us to grow. It implies that it is not okay to remain at the same level of development in our Christian lives. Just as my parents reached a point where the expected a certain level of maturity. God expects certain things of us as we go through our Christian lives. 

This begs the question, how old are you spiritually? Are you meeting the reasonable expectations God has for you based on your time spent as a Christian? Are we doing so as a Church? Let’s make it our goal to press on to mature manhood to the level of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

You may say, I want to grow I’m just not sure how. 

There are some simple things that may help. 

First we can develop better study habits. Notice I said better, you may already have good habits but the question is not how can I do more, but how can I be better? This may mean reading some new books, or taking a different approach than your usual. 

Second, this one is much harder. We can spend some time each day in prayer and reflection. We can ask honestly what sin do I struggle with? What good do I neglect? What habit takes me too close to compromise? The point is not to anxiously overanalyze every second of our day. Rather it’s to look to the areas we have neglected maybe even purposely and submit them to God.

May God help us all grow into his likeness in all things.

~ Kevin Cleary