Proverbs 1:22. “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
As we said a couple days ago, everyone starts off simple. We are all born as simple fools. The problem is when we stay that way. Solomon’s question is profound, How long…will you love being simple? He attributes our foolishness to desire. We like being simple. Like a spiritual Peter Pan, we don’t want to grow up in Christ. We’re happy right where we are. No need to be wise.
Skill in life? Who needs it? Skill in Bible interpretation? Skill in sharing the faith? Skill in guiding another’s heart back toward Jesus? Skill in distinguishing law from gospel? Skill in teaching the gospel? Skill in speaking truth with grace? Skill in living in community? Who needs it?
We all do. We all need to grow up.
Throughout history the church has been complicit in creating Christian simpletons. No need to read scripture in your own language, just listen to your priest read it in Latin. You don’t need all of scripture, just the encouraging parts. No need to learn how to study the Bible on your own, just read a short devotional like this one each day. Don’t worry about all your questions, just have blind faith.
But that is not how we learned Christ. Yes, when Christ made his home in your heart he gave you the Spirit of all wisdom, knowledge, and insight into all the mysteries of God. Yes, he gave you everything you need for life and godliness. But we receive this wisdom as a seed. A seed that needs to be cultivated. A grace that we need to grow up into. A spark of desire that we need to fan into flame.
2 Peter 3:18. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 4:15. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.
It’s time to grow up. Like a baby that grows from a child to an adult, spiritual growth in Christ is to be the experience of every believer. There is no crash course in spiritual growth. No short cuts to Christ-likeness. Spiritual growth is like growing from seed to plant, infant to adult. And you must desire this growth. As Solomon said two thousand years ago, you must stop loving being a spiritual simpleton.
But the great thing about union with Christ is that this growth is also inevitable. The same growth that only comes if we desire it and love it, will come because God has placed into us the desires, affections, and loves of Christ. The Holy Spirit is our teacher, our master, our guide. We are his disciples, his followers, walking in his footsteps of love and obedience together. Growing in Christ together as his body. Christ the nourishing head, we the body, ever feeding on his mercy and love until we are complete in him.
Do you love that idea? The idea of growth? Or will you continue to love your simplicity?
You: In what ways are you simple and loving it?
You in Christ: In Christ, you have the seed of his wisdom growing inside of you. Why must all spiritual growth begin with believing this truth?
Christ in you: As you look back over several months can you see your own growth into Christ-likeness? How can you help others to grow in Christ-likeness?
Pray: Father, I don’t want to be a spiritual infant forever. Help me to learn Jesus by faith more and more each day, without becoming arrogant. Amen.
To Live is Christ 