Maturity

Concerning Him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. Hebrews 5:11

Ouch. No one wants to be told, “I can’t really explain this to you because you just won’t get it!” Over and over we tell our children not to say the “s” word to other people, calling them stupid or dumb. But, that’s essentially what the writers of Hebrews is doing. He’s telling is audience that they’ve let themselves grow too dumb to learn. Too dull to truly hear the truth about Jesus Christ. The verses that follow this one aren’t any more pleasant in their accusations of immaturity.

What is interesting to me is that is seems that the recipients of Hebrews haven’t always been at this place in their learning and growing. They started as babes, but apparently they grew past that point and then fell back. Verse 11 states that they have “become dull of hearing.” In verse 12 we see that they “have need again” for basic teaching and “have come to need milk and not solid food.” (all emphasis mine)

While we cannot lose our salvation, we can lose our growth. We can revert and fall from where we have been and should be. In what areas have I slid? Are there things in my life where I show less maturity than I did a year ago? Five years ago?

Read Heb 5:14: But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Maturity doesn’t just come to us. We have to work for it. We have to train in it. I have to work for it.

I am challenged to examine my life and make any changes necessary to be able to fit the description of verse 14, not verse 11. May I be spiritually discerning, not dull of hearing.