Man, after reading all of your blogs, I have been sitting here for about an hour and 15 minutes just reading and reading my Bible and thinking about you guys and I feel just like me title states–I have so much to say! Well, I will try to spread it out across the next few days so as not to bog you down this go around. In my reading tonight, I came upon a verse that I had forgotten how much I loved.
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. I Corinthians 13:11.
This verse to me represents a crossing over, a major life change. One reason I love teaching middle school is because I get a glimpse of the very beginning of this process. They aren’t playing with dolls anymore, some of them are just starting to be responsible babysitters. They aren’t totally bent out of shape if they don’t get what they want immediately; they are starting to notice others in the world around them. I could go on and on with the development of adolescents, but instead I want to equate this to my spiritual life. Have I truly put away childish things in my spiritual life? Well, let’s see. What was I like when I was a child…
I spake as a child…
*I spoke out of selfishness
*I spoke out of anger
*I spoke out of ignorance
*I spoke out of pride
*I complained
*I whined
I understood as a child…
*I understood as it pertained to me and my own little world
*I understood concretely, rather than abstractly
*I understood as it was presented to me, not taking much thought on whether the information was true or correct, just believing
I thought as a child…
*I thought everything revolved around me–others’ schedules, conversations, actions
*I thought I was better than some and not as good as others
*I thought that obeying the rules made me a super Christian
*I thought that I had the right to speak my mind no matter the cost to those around me
*I thought I had it hard because no one else had to work in tobacco all summer 
But when I became a man (woman) I put away childish things. It’s easy to see that in the physical sense, I have put away my childish things. I don’t play with Barbies anymore or My Little Ponies. I don’t have a Strawberry Shortcake blanket on my bed anymore. But what about spiritually? Have I put away my whining and complaining? Have I put away my selfishness and arrogance? Have I put away my ignorance and self-pity? And instead, have I been made all things to all men (Cor. 9:22)? Have I made myself a servant to all (9:19)? Have I made myself a virtuous woman, a crown to my husband (Proverbs 12:4)? I have to tell you, I am ashamed at how childish I can be sometimes. How often do I get caught up in stupid remarks and pointless gossip and hurtful actions. How often do I get sensitive to things that have nothing to do with me, because I still live sometimes with such a distorted, child-like world view. I pray to leave my childish things behind and become the woman of faith God has already made me. I ask each of you the same–have you put away your childish things and become men and women of Christ? Have you put away your own agenda and surrendered to the all encompassing plan of God? Because if not, it’s past time. I know you all are familiar with Matthew 9:35-38, but I can’t read it without conviction.
But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. …Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
Children can’t be labourers ya’ll. They don’t have the patience or the endurance. But men and women can. I pray for each of you tonight, that Christ would continue to finish his awesome work, that he would give you strength and courage to bring in the harvest. I love you all.
