A Maturity Test

Posted on May 13, 2019 by Graeme Wilson in Freedom Fighters

Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:4

How do you know if you are mature? Well, that is an interesting question for this new week of Freedom Fighter blogs.

I was with a couple this weekend and the wife said to me about her husband, “He’s so immature and needs to grow up.” I was privileged to sit under the teaching ministry and Florence and Fred Littauer. In their book, After Every Wedding Comes a Marriage, Fred and Florence give this 14 question maturity test:

1. Do you tend to blame other people when things go wrong?
2. Do you make excuses for your failures?
3. Do you prefer to ignore difficulties and hope that they go away on their own?
4. Do you sometimes blame your poor background for why you’ve never fulfilled your potential?
5. Do you tell a little white lie if it will get you off the hook?
6. Do you sometimes say, “When are you ever going to grow up?”
7. Do you avoid responsibility if possible?
8. Do you find it difficult to adjust to new situations?
9. Do you wonder if you’ll ever get all of your life together?
10. Do you often think – or tell others – that next year will be different, better, a success?
11. Are you usually able to talk your way out of most everything?
12. Do you feel that you never get the breaks you deserve?
13. When you’re caught at something you shouldn’t be doing, is your first thought to lie or make excuses?
14. Do you feel that if you had a bigger or better house you’d be happy?

Part of maturing and growing up in the Christian life is learning to be more and more like Jesus.

Peter described that process in 1 Peter 1:5-7: For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. (NIV)

If someone is implying that you need to grow up or you are acting in an immature way, then maybe these questions will help make that determination.

Maybe this week we could each start studying the seven characteristics that Peter tells us to add to our faith. Notice it isn’t God adding those to our lives but you and I do this. He will help us, but we need to be taking the initiative. So how are you doing with maturity?

Relentlessly pursuing Christ,

Written by Bill Welte, President/CEO of America’s Keswick: Bill has been married to his childhood sweetheart for 40+ years and has four married kids and 11 amazing grandkids. He loves music and is an avid reader.

You can download our 2018 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Think About This: God never destroys the work of His own hands. He removes what would pervert it, that is all Maturity is the stage where the whole life has been brought under the control of God. ~Oswald Chambers

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the doctrinal and theological views held by America’s Keswick.