The last five months has been the quickest, yet shortest time I have ever experienced. Each week feels like a day, yet each minute feels like an hour.
Relentless. Intimate. Overwhelmingly dependent. Beautiful.
These words don’t adequately describe the journey of motherhood, but they give a glimpse into a life that I definitely was not prepared for. Truthfully, I don’t think there is anything that will prepare you for the growth required for motherhood, except motherhood.
I am really thankful that I didn’t realistically know what we were getting ourselves into when we decided to grow our family; because if I did, I may have changed my mind. But nevertheless, I am grateful that we made this decision. As I watch an adorable little babe learn, grow and experience the fullness of life - I am in awe that we get to be a part of this wonderful human’s existence.
Being present for all the big and small milestones of Jed’s life has been beautiful. One of the milestones that we have recently achieved, is eating solids. Oh what an experience that is!
But this really got me pondering on the analogy of spiritual maturity in 1 Corinthians 3.
The Passion Translation says it like this: “Brothers and sisters, when I was with you I found it impossible to speak to you as those who are spiritually mature people, for you are still dominated by the mind-set of the flesh. And because you are immature infants in Christ, I had to nurse you and feed you with ‘milk’, not with the solid food of more advanced teachings, because you weren’t ready for it. In fact, you are still not ready to be fed solid food, for you are living your lives dominated by the mind-set of the flesh.”
As a mom, who is on this milk and solids journey I have had a fresh understanding of what that truly means and what Paul is trying to express to the Corinthian Church.
Not only is milk an easy-to-swallow liquid, but milk comes directly from a source. A source that needs to always be available, and reliable.
Nursing is a beautiful analogy of intimacy because babies don’t just nurse for food, they desire comfort. They are overwhelmingly dependent and want to be so close to the source, almost an extension of the source; that is their most safe space.
As a baby becomes more familiar with the world around them, they don’t need to be attached to their source as much. As Jed has grown, he is more accepting of food from other people - same source, different means - and now he is exploring food for himself.
Solid food is wonderful because Jed can feed himself. He is still learning, and although he is still completely dependant on a source to supply his food, he will one day be independent in eating, and that is a relieving thought.
The relentlessness of feeding a baby every 3 hours around the clock [24|7] for 40 minutes at a time can be very challenging. But the beauty of growth and introducing solids is that the baby is no longer only dependent on you. Feeding stretches to every 4 hours, for only 10 minutes a session and less nighttime wakings.
The independence that has developed in just 5 months, is beautiful.
One that I hope will be the same as Jed’s spiritual maturity journey.
And one that I hope, if you are on this journey, you embark on yourself.
Baby Christians [ie. new followers of Jesus] require milk as their number one source for sustenance and growth. Easy-to-swallow information that will satisfy the desire for more knowledge.
Jesus is the ultimate source. He is the one that we should be overwhelmingly dependent on. Our source should be His Word - reading, soaking and abiding in it.
For most people there is someone who journeys alongside them in this early stage of understanding. Someone who is available and a reliable guide which is most often necessary because the Bible isn’t always easy-to-swallow information.
Paul describes this as the plateau for many people on their journey. The point where it’s easy to have head knowledge of what God says, but not as easy to have heart acceptance of how we should live our lives.
Solid food, which should be the natural next step, is often not the case in the Christian journey. One of the reasons for this is because solid food is not as easy to swallow, and requires skills that are learnt.
Actively accepting new perspectives and changing our reactions or responses is a skill that needs to be learnt. One that requires tough conversations with people who love us, and the ability to go beyond our fear of ‘advanced teaching.’
Paul speaks about people who live immature spiritual lives as people without the Spirit’s influence. And if that is the case, then the way to live with spiritual maturity is to live with the Spirit’s influence.
Living with the Spirit’s influence does not mean that our lives will be perfect. It does mean that we will live with perspective. Constantly aware of others, choosing to be flexible in our every day lives, understanding that things may not always go our way and giving people the grace to grow.
I personally don’t want to get stuck on milk alone. As a mother, I have a desire for my baby to grow in independence and ability, and I am sure that God feels the same way about His children.
God’s desire for you is to be spiritually mature. Enjoying the easy-to-swallow knowledge, while applying the Spirit’s influence through all the relentlessness of life.
JCS
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