Grown Up Like a Child
Insights From Vacation Bible School
The Paradox of True Maturity
Time to Grow Up?
“Come on, Eric—can’t you even tie your shoes?” Bubba teased.
Eric flushed red. “Of course I can! My daddy taught me when I was three. He said it was time to grow up.”
What none of us knew back then was how much Eric had already grown up.
His dad was home but not present. His mom worked two jobs just to keep food on the table. Eric didn’t have the luxury of being a carefree kid. He’d learned to survive by depending on himself.
Miss Marla saw what we didn’t.
Every morning, she’d pull him aside, wipe his nose, fix his collar, and slip him an extra sandwich. It wasn’t pity—it was love.
She knew that what Eric needed most wasn’t independence.
It was care.
Growing Up Backwards
We were all so eager to grow up—to be independent, capable, responsible.
And in the natural world, that’s the goal of maturity.
But in the Kingdom? It’s the opposite.
True maturity doesn’t mean needing God less—it means realizing we need Him more.
Jesus said, “Apart from Me, you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
That’s not a reprimand—it’s a reminder.
The branch doesn’t grow strong by standing alone. It thrives by staying connected to the Vine.
The world says, “Stand on your own two feet.”
The Gospel says, “Fall on your knees.”
Growing up in Christ looks a lot like growing down—into humility, dependence, and abiding trust.
The Power of Surrender
For years, I thought maturity meant asking God to bless what I was doing.
Then I learned maturity is asking, “God, what are You doing—and how can I join You?”
The first is control. The second is surrender.
The first produces frustration; the second produces fruit.
When we stop measuring maturity by outcomes and start measuring it by obedience, peace replaces pressure.
We begin to grow in the right direction—toward dependence.
Reflection
Where have you confused independence with spiritual maturity?
What would it look like to “grow down” into deeper dependence on Jesus?
How might surrender bring more fruit than striving ever could?
Prayer
Abba Father, thank You that maturity in Your Kingdom means staying small in Your arms. Keep me connected to Your life, rooted in Your love, and dependent on Your grace. Teach me to grow up by trusting You more.
Amen.