It’s Time to Grow Up!

‘Simon!’ Dad called from the back of the house. ‘Come and fix this mess!’

‘Uh-oh…’

Simon stopped at the door of the laundry and watched as bright red foamy bubbles spewed from the family’s washing machine. ‘Oops.’

‘Oops is right and you’d better clean it up before your mother returns with the groceries. Then, you had better deal with that car of yours. The windscreen looks like the aftermath of a locust plague.’

The unusually quiet son entered the kitchen later that day and watched his parents move about to prepare for the evening meal. Steak, onions and potatoes sat ready for preparing. He sat in a chair to watch. Simon was always fascinated and somewhat proud of how they worked together. Being the youngest of five, and at almost twenty-three, Simon knew it was time to give his parents a break and move out on his own but…

‘Hey, Simon’, his mother interrupted his thoughts. ‘Are you going to the young adults Bible Study tonight?’

‘Yeah… I’ve even completed this week’s study questions,’ he grinned.

Dad looked up from chopping onions. Tears ran down his cheeks. ‘Really?’

Simon grinned at the voice that didn’t match the tears, which were thankfully not related to this latest bit of news. ‘Um…yeah. We’re studying Hebrews chapter five. I’m…um…finding it quite interesting.’

His mother wiped her hands and approached the table. ‘May I ask why?’

Dad continued to chop and sniff.

‘I’ll show you.’ Simon left the room and returned a few minutes later with his New International Version of the Bible. He opened it to where it was bookmarked.

‘You see,’ he began, ‘last week’s topic was about “Warnings Against Falling Away”. Verses 11 to 15 says: “We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”’

Dad wiped his eyes before joining them at the table. ‘What do you think these verses are saying?’

‘Well,’ he began thoughtfully. ‘It’s like eating.’

His parents laughed in unison.

‘Yeah, I know. Everything with me is related to food,’ he grinned. ‘But it’s like the verse says, we have to stop just drinking milk and get in to the steak and potatoes of life…and onions,’ he finished with a chuckle.

Dad reached across, pulled the Bible to him and turned it around. ‘Yes, you’re right. We need to grow and mature in His grace.’ He paused and turned over a few pages. ‘Hebrews 10:25-27 also says: “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.”’

‘Pretty heavy stuff’, Simon sighed. ‘But I think I’m beginning to understand this whole adulthood stuff. I mean, I’m no longer a child, or a teenager anymore. I’m supposed to be an adult. Right? Not just as a person, but as a Christian. I can’t rely on you and Mum all my life to feed me or clean up after me. In the same way, I need to get into the Word and grow up.’

His mother smiled. ‘Even us older Christians need to grow. We can never outgrow the need to grow. But, you’re right, Simon. You do need to do this for yourself.’ She reached out and touched his hand. ‘Is there more to this conversation than impressing us?’

Simon took a deep breath. ‘Well, I like my job and doing church stuff, but…’

‘But what?’ There was a hint of worry in his father’s tone.

‘This week’s Bible study has had me seriously praying about a few things. I’m ready to put away childish things. I’ve decided to start adulthood properly. I’m going to attend Bible College. I believe that’s where God wants me to be.’