Spiritual Maturity
 

by David Maxson

But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. (1 Corinthians 4:3-4)

Jesus said that we are not to do our righteous acts before men to be seen by them, but that we should be more concerned about what our Father "who sees in secret" thinks about us (Matthew 6:1-2). This is a sign of spiritual maturity. We've made real progress when we're more sensitive to what God thinks of us than what others think of us. 

I've got a long way to go in this area. Honestly, there are times when I am much more concerned about human praise than Divine praise. 

What about you?

• When you do a good deed do you privately hope someone will notice? 

• Are you obsessed with hiding certain parts of your life from others while barely thinking about God's awareness of your sin?
• Does criticism for doing right consume you or are you able to deflect criticism because you know that God is happy with you?

What drives you the most: earthly success or spiritual success?

How often do you think about heaven? When is the last time you seriously thought about it?

• How much do you "pray in secret?" When is the last time you spent meaningful time with God in private communion with him?

• How often during the day do you think about God? Is he a real, personal, and ever-present part of your conscious thoughts during the day?

Father, help us to do the right things for the right reasons. Give us a pure heart that will want nothing more than a relationship with you.

 

  

Other Articles by David Maxson
How Do We Evaluate Our Entertainment Choices?
Standing Up For Our Brethren
The Christian and Social Medial
Why Do Bible Reading Programs Fail?