Revisiting...

As I awoke this morning, the following thought occured to me...how do you know if you have grown or matured?  Of course, this would be the kind of thing that only makes sense to me, but I often wonder.  I open my devotional and this is the scripture reference for today:

Hebrews 6:1 So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deedst and placing our faith in God.

This was coupled with the following:

1 Peter 3:9 9  Never return evil for evil or insult for insult (scolding, tongue-lashing, berating), but on the contrary blessing [praying for their welfare, happiness, and protection, and truly pitying and loving them]. For know that to this you have been called, that you may yourselves inherit a blessing [from God--that you may obtain a blessing as heirs, bringing welfare and happiness and protection.

This was a veritable slap in the face for me, not because those are regular behaviors, but because the most minute of details would constitute sin.  We have to get to the place where we are spiritually mature in Christ, moving from the question phase to that of the application phase.  This is where we know we are moving forward in the things of God.  Have you ever wondered how is it that one person seems to propel forward in an accelerated manner?  I compare it to students who like one subject more than another.  For one student, math may come easily, and they move forward through their math classes.  That same student may struggle in reading, and as a result need more life application.  However, growth in reading may be marked by moving towards another grade level, whereas in math, that may be moving two grade levels.  The growth is still there, but not necessarily at the same rate.  We still have to be cognizant of our own growth and development and move forward from there.  I brought up my study of Psalms a few weeks back, and I think it applies here.  Last night, my pastor asked various individuals which scriptures governed their daily lives.  If I had to pick a scripture, it would have to be Psalms 51:17, where it states

17  My sacrifice [the sacrifice acceptable] to God is a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart [broken down with sorrow for sin and humbly and thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will not despise. (AMP)

For me, this governs everything.  Is my life acceptable to Christ?  Am I walking in humility towards Him?  Can my humilty be demonstrated in my actions towards others? 

While I could have chosen anything on which  to write, sometimes you have to go back to the basics, back to the place from whence you started.  Today, I decided to revisit that....Selah...