1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.
The five stages of human growth are fetal, infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Childhood covers the ages between two to eight. Children need a lot of attention, correction and appreciation to develop into cognitive, coherent and confident personalities. Proverbs 29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom, But a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother. Neglected or over protected children will struggle and grow up with insecurity, timidity or anxiety. Similarly, spiritual children need inspiration, encouragement and rectification. Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. The learning, training and improvising during the early years of our spiritual life is the foundation of our closeness and Christlikeness in adulthood.
We are the children of the Most High God, and He nurtures, nourishes and navigates us into the path of righteousness. Our natural parents might not be able to give us all the attention and nutrients that we need but our Heavenly Father will never neglect us. Our natural parents might have failed because of their own dysfunction but our Heavenly Father will never negate us. From baby formula the Lord will start feeding us with solid spiritual food and meaty rich food as we discipline ourselves to wait at His feet and feed on His Word.
Our stage of growth can be determined by the attention, correction and appreciation that we require to continue to grow spiritually healthy and wealthy:
1. Cuddle: A child would need constant affirmations, comforts and cuddles. Those who need constant pat on their back, regular and repetitive motivation and validation from people are still cuddly children. As we grow spiritually, approval or disapproval from people will neither motivate or deflate us. Those who still need cuddles and kisses, irrespective of their natural age, are still spiritual cute little children.
2. Correct: Tantrums that are not corrected in childhood will foster ‘adults with diapers’. Proverbs 22:15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from Him. Spiritual correction is the model for parent to reprimand their children in the natural. Our Almighty Father separates the child from the correction as He does the sin from the sinner. He corrects the ‘lying tongue’ but never calls us a ‘liar’. The Lord reprimands promiscuity but never tags His children as ‘prostitutes’. Hence, when He corrects, He also lovingly forgives, wipes us, cleans us with His blood and covers us with His glory. The process of correction is not for disqualification or humiliation but sanctification. Those whom the Lord corrects are His little children.
3. Clone: Children follow each other. They can be easily manoeuvred, moulded or misdirected. The lessons taught to a toddler shapes their character. Table manners, talking manners and tenacity are developed very early years in life. Every spiritual lessons that the Lord teaches His children are to clone us to the likeness of His Son Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. The character development and correction is the process of cloning us into Godliness, Holiness and Christlikeness.
Some have defined love as unconditional approval. That is the opposite of love. Unconditional love is not unconditional approval. The Lord disciples him whom He loves.
Proverbs 20:11 Even a child makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright.
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