Traits of Mature Faith

Monday, February 18, 2013

I Corinthians 13 tells us that when we were children, we talked like a child, thought like a child, reasoned like a child. But when we become adults, we are to put away our childish ways. How can we turn that childish traits into mature traits?

In the book Boundaries with Kids, the authors describe 8 aspects of character that we should try to instill in children. They say that these 8 traits are the ones that mature adults have.

Eight Key Aspects of Character

1. Loving

2. Responsible

3. Free

4. Initiating

5. Respectful of Reality

6. Oriented to Growth

7. Oriented to Truth

8. Oriented to Transcendence

I think these traits describe mature Christians also.

1. Loving - to self, God, others

2. Responsible – takes ownership of feelings, attitudes, words, behaviors. Ownership of life.

3. Free – Free people are free to make choices and take control of their life.

4. Initiating – We can begin new things. We don’t wait for others to do the work for us. Christ has done a new work in us and we are called on to act upon it.

5. Respectful of Reality – A dose of reality means that we experience the consequences of our actions in the real world.

6. Oriented to Growth – We learn to face the obstacles of life with an orientation toward growth. We learn to move through situations and move forward.

7. Oriented to Truth – Walking in truth is a hallmark of the Christian faith. We walk in the light.

8. Oriented to Transcendence – Transcendence implies that we transcend or go beyond self. We order our lives around God and his values. We understand the greatest commandment: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”

Let us also mature in our faithwalk as we go from childish ways to mature ways.