In one of the scenes from the movie "Dumb & Dumber," the two main characters get all dressed up to go to a very fancy charity event. All kinds of rich and important people are there. Of course, if you know anything about the movie, you know that it is about a story of one guy who is dumb and another who is dumber. The hard thing is trying to figure out which is which throughout the course of the movie because both characters are doing absurd things throughout the whole thing.
Anyways, these two guys get fitted for tuxes...one of them picks an orange tux and the other picks a baby blue tux, which makes them look more like clowns than anything else. They were both given canes with their tuxes so, of course, they felt the need to sword fight with them as they are entered into this elegantly decorated ballroom. To say the very least, they were noticed by everyone in the room. Its not everyday that you see two middle-aged men sword fighting with canes at a fancy charity event.
Of course, these 2 guys and their childish ways make for a funny movie, but the reality is that it would be very sad if the movie was based off of a true story...a true story of two guys who never really grew up and matured as time went on, but remained immature, even as adults.
We know that there's not a lot of things that are harder to watch than full grown adults acting like babies, like crazy children. This is the point that the Apostle Paul is making in Ephesians Chapter 4. In fact, Paul says here that it's the very reason why the Holy Spirit has given us gifts, so that we will "no longer be like children," but will grow up. A better translation of "children" is actually "babies."
Of course, nobody like to be called a "baby." Have you ever been called a "baby" before by a friend, parent, or sibling? How did it make you feel? Now, Paul is not calling the Ephesians "babies" but he is warning them that that's exactly what they will be if they don't keep putting their gifts into practice, each one of them.
Now, don't get me wrong...there is nothing wrong with babies. They are cute and cuddly. You just can't help but smile at them. There is something wrong, though, with an adult, or even a teenager that thinks he/she is still a baby. The fact is, babies need to grow up.
Paul tells the Ephesians how they and we, as Christians, can grow up.
"As each part does its own special work (uses its gifts), it helps the other parts grow up, so that the whole body is healthy and growing up and full of love."
What Paul is saying is that, as we all proactively use our spiritual gifts to glorify God and serve one another, we become more mature and help others around us to become more mature.
Do you want to become more mature as a person? Wiser?
Learn what your spiritual gifts are and put them into practice every week. In other words, learn what your place is on the team, what your position is, suit up, and get out onto field and into the game. The team needs you.
