Are You Mature?

Dearly Beloved,

Are you mature?

Not sure if you’re like me, but I definitely went through a phase in life where I was regularly calculating if someone, or what they said, how they behaved, was mature or immature. A common phrase spoken smugly was, “Ugh, that’s so immature.” Looking back now, I can see that I was actually the immature one and had a lot of growing up to do. Webster’s Dictionary defines maturity like this:

“Maturity is the state of full development, whether physical, emotional, or functional. It refers to behaving in a responsible, sensible, and emotionally regulated manner, often involving the capacity to manage life's challenges.”

What does it mean to be mature as a Christian, though? I think it's all of those things that are defined above. But there's more. We often can default to assuming that the length of time as a believer equates to a ‘mature Christian’. While the chances can be higher because more time has passed for refinement and growth in our walk, that’s not always the case. Time ≠ maturity. 

The bible talks quite a lot about maturity in the New Testament. I recommend starting at Ephesians 4. Excellent. Today, I want to touch on one aspect of maturity as believers.

In my studies last summer, while preparing for a message, I came across a quote that rocked me. Harold Best, former Dean of the Conservatory of Music at Wheaton College, said this: “A mature Christian is one who is easily edified.” It sounds so simple, but it really is profound. Edification comes from the word edifice, which means building. So, to be easily edified is to be easily built up, enlightened, and growing. I pondered this phrase for the rest of the week. It didn’t make it into my sermon because that wasn’t actually what I was preaching about. 

Funny enough, that sermon ended up being, what I believe to be, one of my WORST preaches ever. Ha! I thought to myself that it felt like a throwaway message. We preachers can be fairly hard on ourselves sometimes, especially after pouring hours and hours of study, prayer, and love into preparing for a preach. So, I tried to give myself some grace and moved on. Side note, I do not share this story for sympathy or to garner your words of encouragement. It ends well, I promise!

Later that week, a gentleman from the church took Mike and I out fishing on his boat. He said to me, “Laura. I was just SO blessed by your message this past week. Man, that was encouraging!” I think I literally laughed out loud in shock and surprise when he said those words. What on earth?! I asked him if he was serious and told him how hard I struggled with that message, feeling like it was a total flop. He countered with something along the lines of, “Not at all! I’ll tell you what. If there is someone out there who DIDN’T get something out of your message, and Pastor Abi’s from the week before, too, they are crazy!” I was nearly offended, worrying and wondering if this nice man was actually just gaslighting me, that’s how bad I felt this sermon was, and here he was going on about all the takeaways from it. Then it struck me. 

“A mature Christian is one who is easily edified.”

In that moment, the Lord brought that whole thing full circle. Here in front of me was a person who was displaying exactly what that statement means. And how cheeky of Jesus to use my own weakness as the example. Ha! This lovely man was able to be challenged, encouraged, and built up by my worst. How did he do that? It sure wasn’t because it was a home run of a message. I think it was because he has grown and transformed as a follower of Jesus into a person whose posture is to expect to grow and be blessed. A person like this will be able to be built up by virtually anything because they know that the onus is on them, AND their heart has been conditioned by Jesus to spot the good! Over time, it becomes easy. So easy, they may not even realize it's happening.


I was so blessed by the encouragement from this man on that day. And by the Holy Spirit for showing me in real-time what it means to be easily edified. How am I showing up to things, in my relationships, with my husband and kids, events, to church? Can I be blessed and built up even if the song isn’t my favourite or a guitar string is out of tune? Can I set my own preferences aside and instead, expect that I’m going to meet with Jesus, not because the sound is great and the sermon is a 10, but because He’s working in me and I’m hungry for all that He has, no matter the vessel it comes in? 


Can you think of a few people in your life who are like this? There are several names that come to mind for me. There is a common thread woven through them, hey? They seem to be just so grateful, full of encouragement, teachable, and hungry. They’re the kind of people you know you will leave their company feeling challenged and encouraged, built up. Those who are easily edified end up being great at building others up, too.


What’s one area in your life where you could use Jesus’ help to be more easily edified? I know I can list off a few quite easily in my own life. The opportunities to develop and grow in our faith, and thus be blessed, are all around us. Let’s expect it! 

May you be blessed, encouraged, and built up in Christ Jesus today.

Pastor Laura