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Have you ever watched a person on a tightrope before? One of the secrets to a successful tightrope walk is holding a pole where the weight on both sides is equal. When one side is heavier or when both sides are not heavy enough, it tips the balance of the tightrope walker.
In the same way, the Christian walk is one that entails a great balancing act in many areas of our life. Our hearts are full of balancing poles with two extremes. One area where we must keep a proper balance is in keeping a considerable weight of child-like humility and spiritual maturity. What does this balance look like?
Child-like in humility
I spent this morning waiting for my daughter while she was in her ballet class. While watching her and the other dancers, I couldn’t help but notice how easy it was for the teacher to impose authority when one or two of them would get rowdy. Once that authority was clear, the young girls would quickly obey the instructions of their teacher.
As adults, though, we’re not necessarily the same. We like power and we like control, and we find it hard when someone else has either of those over us, even when it’s in a positive way. Presenting a young boy in front of the power-hungry disciples in Matthew 18:3-4, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
When put under the authority of a boss, a manager, a leader or a pastor, we can find ourselves questioning authority rather than submitting to it. And this can even be the case when it comes to the authority of Christ in our lives. In this sense it’s important that we put weight to child-like humility, not desiring power and control over people and circumstances but always ready to trust in our Father as a child would trust in their parents.
Mature in spirituality
As important as child-like faith is, it does not meant that we do not seek for maturity in other areas of our life. One area we must constantly grow in is in our spirituality and closeness to God. And as we draw closer to God, we learn more about what pleases and displeases Him.
When I started dating my wife, I had very little regard for what displeased her, not because I didn’t care for her but because I didn’t know her enough. But as I grew more in knowing her, I started to know more about what displeased her and what made her happy. It’s the same with us and God.
Hebrews 5:14 says, “But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” As we draw closer and closer to Christ, we learn how to discern and do what makes Him glad and to not do what dishonours Him. In that regard we must all grow.
Keeping a healthy and proper balance of child-like humility and spiritual maturity helps us walk longer with God as we travel our tightropes. When we keep both in proper balance, we will learn to walk with God for the rest of our lives.
