From Mediocrity to Maturity

…until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Ephesians 4:13

Living beyond mediocrity is rooted in our identity in Christ. It also involves bringing our very best to our homes, our workplaces, our churches, and our communities.

Bringing our very best to every life circumstance necessitates that we try our best at what we do. I don’t just mean trying at our tasks; I mean trying in our relationships with our friends, our spouses, our children, and our coworkers. Investing in and strengthening relationships takes emotional maturity and requires us to be fully present with people. Managing emotions in a healthy way does not come naturally. We need maturity.

“I can’t wait until…” Many of us anticipate the upcoming events in our life, whether we are looking forward to a job promotion, the birth of a baby, a vacation, or even those precious moments of simply being still and knowing that God is in control of it all. There are times in my life when I can’t wait until God brings me to full maturity. I love personal growth that leads to community good, and for me, the journey of growth is all about the process. However, when I’m uncomfortable or when I hurt others, I just can’t wait until I’m totally mature.

In Ephesians 4:13, God reminds us that he is in the business of taking his people from mediocrity to maturity. God has redeemed us to be his people, and he also wants to grow and mature us for his glory, for our good, and for the good of his Kingdom. We are not meant to simply be placeholders this side of heaven until Jesus returns. God wants to mature us now. The word until in Ephesians 4:13 encourages us to move onward from mediocrity to maturity by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Maturity does not happen when we live in isolation from others; maturity emerges when we navigate difficult situations with other people. Community is necessary for maturity to take shape, since community is where we learn and grow.

Some of my friends are part of a community that seeks to grow in their mastery of biblical relational values and skills. The personal transformation they experience then leads to community transformation. I continue to learn about the concept of mastery from these friends. One important aspect of mastery is that, when we do something over and over, it becomes easy and natural for us.

Mastery happens when a person practices to become an expert at something. In my experience, mastery over an area of information is much easier to obtain than mastery in loving others, but I believe Jesus invites us to practice mastery in how we love and interact with people.

Jesus was fully God and fully human. He mastered the art of living in full connection with God and with people. God intends for his people to continue growing and maturing throughout their life, even though full maturity will not happen until we are in heaven with our Lord (Ephesians 4:13).

QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: How can you be fully present with the people in your life? How is God maturing you right now? How is God using your community to move you from mediocrity to maturity? What does it mean to receive Jesus’ invitation to practice mastery in how we love and interact with people?