DON'T BE A FOOL

By Colbi Mouser

As humans, we all have times when we are immature. We all have to learn what is acceptable behavior and how to act, or else at some point we will make a fool of ourselves. It’s a part of life and growing up, and we all experience it. The older you get, however, if you are still acting immature, the more obvious and obnoxious it can be. We all know that one person who is constantly making a fool of themselves and acting in a way that just makes you shake your head. Somewhere down the road they haven’t had someone guide them and give a good example, or maybe they haven’t cared to pay attention and grow. Becoming more mature isn’t just a part of growing up, but it’s also a very essential key in growing in our faith and relationship with Christ.

READ MARK 9:14-35

You’re probably wondering where I’m going with this, but stick with me. We see in this passage Jesus cast out an evil spirit. The disciples watched Jesus do miraculous things constantly. They walked with him day after day and got to see these events take place first hand. Now take a closer look to verses 33-35, which is my entire point. It may be short but it speaks volumes on how quickly our hearts can lose focus. In this passage we see that while traveling back to Capernaum, the disciples had been arguing with one another over who amongst the group was the greatest. These are the same men who had followed Jesus and listened first hand to his teachings. They had heard him rebuke pride and elevate a servant’s heart. Yet here they were, debating on who was the greatest! Even though these men had Jesus in flesh with them, they were still susceptible to this immature mindset. If these men were with Jesus daily and were capable of this immaturity, how much more do we have to fight against immature mindsets? Not only can this kind of behavior be embarrassing, it can open doors to conflict and problems. Jesus even asked them directly, “What were you discussing out on the road?” And who answered Jesus…? NO ONE! They were embarrassed and ashamed of their argument because they knew what they had been arguing was in contrast to Jesus’ teachings.

Allowing God to stretch us and mature us in our faith is definitely easier said than done. So many of us can relate to the disciples in this situation. We can witness what Jesus is doing in our lives and in others, yet in a second we turn our eyes away from Christ and onto ourselves. Maturing in your faith starts with your heart. What’s in your heart leads to what you think, and what you think will translate into your actions. Ask yourself a few questions daily: Do you have pride in your heart? Do you have selfish motives? Are your desires solely about furthering God’s kingdom? Who do you want to bring glory to? By seeking first the heart of God, your heart will align with his and rid immature actions and faith. Focus on that daily.