WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DECEMBER 23, 2025
TOPIC: SPIRITUAL MATURITY
BY T. O. BANSO
“When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things” (1 Corinthians 13:11 New King James Version).
In the Book of Genesis, Joseph’s immaturity in handling his dreams contributed to his brothers’ conspiracy against him. However, some people interpret Joseph’s sharing his dreams as part of the divine plan, not immaturity.
Joseph shouldn’t have revealed his dreams to his brothers, who hated him. Genesis 37:2 says, “This is the history of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brothers. And the lad was with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to his father” (New King James Version). Joseph’s brothers must have been displeased with this attitude.
The bad situation must have been worsened because Joseph was their father’s favourite. Jacob didn’t hide his special love for Joseph. Genesis 37:3-4 says, “Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age. Also he made him a tunic of many colors. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him” (New King James Version).
This was the atmosphere in Joseph’s family at this time. His brothers did not live in peace with him. They hated him; they were not born by the same mother. It was a polygamous home. Joseph was Jacob’s eleventh son and the first child of Rachel (Genesis 30:22-24).
When Joseph had his first dream, which was unfavourable to his brothers, he went to tell them. The interpretation of the dream was clear, and his brothers, who already hated him, asked if Joseph would rule over them. The latter part of Genesis 37:8 says, “So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words” (New King James Version). By telling his dream to his enemies, his brothers, Joseph fuelled the enmity against him.
Let’s assume he didn’t know that his brothers would react negatively to his dream. He was seventeen years old then. But having seen their reaction after he had told them the first dream, he should have learnt his lesson and not told them the details of the second dream. However, he showed his inexperience or immaturity by telling his brothers and his father the second dream, whose interpretation was still that he would rule over them.
When his father, Jacob, heard the second dream, he rebuked him and asked if Joseph’s mother, himself, and Joseph’s brothers would come to bow down before him (Genesis 37:10). His brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind. Joseph should have been humble and cautious not to relate his dreams to his brothers because the dreams favoured him. Later, the hatred of Joseph’s brothers for him made them plot to kill him, but they eventually sold him into slavery (Genesis 37:18-36).
This wouldn’t have happened to Joseph but for his immaturity in handling his dreams. He told his enemies his dreams. Yes, God, in His sovereignty, worked everything together for his good, turning his pain to gain, but I believe God could still have achieved His purpose in Joseph’s life through another route. You must grow up; quit immaturity.
During Saul’s search for the lost donkeys of his father, he met Samuel, who, surprisingly, anointed him as the first king of Israel. When he returned home, his uncle asked him about where he and his servant had gone. When Saul told him how the search for the donkeys led them to the prophet Samuel, the uncle asked what Samuel told them. “So Saul said to his uncle, ‘He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found.’ But about the matter of the kingdom, he did not tell him what Samuel had said’” (1 Samuel 10:16 New King James Version). Saul did not disclose to his uncle that he had been anointed as king. Not all testimonies are ripe for public sharing; some are premature. Wait until they are ripe for you to share with others.
Mature people control their tongues. According to the apostle James, “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless” (James 1:26 New King James Version). James 3:2 says, “For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body” (New King James Version). One mark of spiritual maturity is to know what to say and what not to say. It is the ability to control your tongue.
Paul said, “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things” (1 Corinthians 13:11 New King James Version). If you’re maturing spiritually, there are some things you did in the past that you should have outgrown or stopped doing because of the operation of the Holy Spirit in your life. Spiritual maturity is a lifelong, ongoing process. It will continue till Christ returns. The ultimate goal of spiritual maturity is to become more like Christ.
The apostle Peter, talking about fruitful growth in the faith, said, “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins” (2 Peter 1:5-9 New King James Version). Christians must grow in God’s character rather than constantly telling people how long they have been Christians.
The writer of Hebrews told the Hebrew Christians the need for Christian growth, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the [a]oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:12-14 New King James Version).
There are Bible teachings that only mature Christians can receive; immature Christians will reject them. Paul says, “Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you” (Philippians 3:15 New King James Version). The New Living Translation renders the verse thus: “Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you.” This means that there are immature Christians. God expects you to be mature in your understanding (Hebrews 6:1). Are you mature? Are you growing into maturity?
Paul says, “Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten.” (1 Corinthians 2:6 New Living Translation). The New King James Version puts it this way: “However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.” Again, Paul’s reference to mature Christians underscores the fact that there are immature Christians.
Paul regarded the Corinthians as babes in Christ, whom he needed to feed with milk and not solid food because they were unable to receive it. He said envy, strife, and divisions among them were signs of carnality. “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, ‘I am of Paul,’ and another, ‘I am of Apollos,’ are you not carnal?” (1 Corinthians 3:1-4 New King James Version).
1 John 2:14 also talks about mature Christians. “I have written to you who are God’s children because you know the Father. I have written to you who are mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning. I have written to you who are young in the faith because you are strong. God’s word lives in your hearts, and you have won your battle with the evil one” (New Living Translation). Note the phrases “you who are mature in the faith” and “you who are young in the faith.”
It is not a sin to be a spiritual babe or a babe in Christ, but a sin to remain permanently so. No mother loves it when her baby refuses to grow but remains a baby. Every mature Christian started as a babe in Christ. Your openness to the ministry gifts will influence your Christian maturity; they are to help you mature and fully grow in the Lord.
Ephesians 4:11-13 says, “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (New King James Version).
Feed on the word of God so that you can grow. Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Deuteronomy 8:3; Mathew 4:4; Luke 4:4). Obey the Word of God. Pray and fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Accept responsibilities in the Kingdom of God; serve in the house of God. Put an end to childish behaviour in your walk with Christ, including your relationship with people. Keep growing spiritually. Strive for spiritual maturity.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you must give your heart to Jesus now. Please take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself, and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your heart. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church. There, they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me, and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I invite Jesus into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You must join a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, help me to grow spiritually and put away childish behaviour. Holy Spirit, deliver me from whatever is hindering my spiritual growth; let me grow as I should. Please help me to control my tongue and not stumble in words, but be mature. I will know what to say and what not to say in Jesus’ name. Father, have mercy on those who are spiritually immature and whose mouths have put them in trouble. Deliver them.
(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
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