Would You Please Just ... Grow Up!

We have all thought it ... Yes, even you. : -) Pushed to our limit, and desperately in need of a nap, we have become so frustrated with the thoughts, actions and misconceptions of others, we have thought ... Would you please just grow up! Some of us may even allow our thoughts of frustration to take flight. With the force of an incoming 747, our words land on the person pushing our buttons. Or worse, we unload on an unsuspecting and innocent bystander. We southern girls have to be extra careful about this because we have become experts at "venting" in prayer requests. Something like, Would ya'll pray for Sally? Bless her heart, she needs to grow up. In Jesus name, Sally just NEEDS to grow up! Help her Jesus. Amen.   While it's certainly true Sally has a need to grow up ... it's equally true we do too. Ephesians 4 says all believers need to grow up. We need to grow ... in unity. Being completely humble and gentle; and patiently, bearing with one another in love. v.2 Making every effort to keep the unity of Spirit through the bond of peace. v.3 Remembering there is one body and one Spirit, one hope; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. v. 4-6 We need to grow ... in maturity.   Christ Himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers to equip his people for service ... v.11  As His people, once equipped, we are to offer our works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. v.12 Before you say, I'll take maturity but I'll pass on the unity. They're tied together. And so are we. Like it or not, as believers, we need one another to grow.  What's the result?  We will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their decietful scheming. v.14 But ... Instead, speaking truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ. v.15 From Him (Christ) the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. v.16    Did you catch the last part? The part that says, as each part does its work? Each of is to do his or her part. Working together ... in unity. Bearing with one another ... in love. One body, the body of Christ. Go .... : -)