Keeping the main thing, the main thing---

[DeanZF]

Part 3.



I have this thing buzzing around in my head and it just won't let go!



My bishop also is very strong on following St. Paul's statement: <QUOTE author="Col. 1:28">

We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ.

"Complete" is also translated as full-grown, mature, or perfect. This is the word teleios again. It's one of Bishop's favorite words. It so well describes God's aspirations and intentions for us.



I've had a thought that has chased me all week. What does teleios look like? How would I as a human describe it? What would Father say that would cause Him to say, "Aha! Teleios!" I can relate to the human experience and have to think about those whom I have considered mature, full-grown Christians. One can more readily recognize immature than mature. I know that a 16-month-old child is not fully mature. I sense that young men and women near the age of 16 are not fully mature. They are far more mature than the 16-month-old version, but there is still a very long hill to climb. I think about some of the leaders whom I've served who were good teachers but who behaved scandalously, who were careless with their words outside the pulpit. We all know about great personalities in the body over the years who've shown their feet of clay. Were they mature? They had great knowledge, and some had great wisdom, but were they mature?



These are the extreme examples, obviously. Think about people who share the pews with you and hook them up to the mature-o-meter, the teleios-o-meter. How do they do? On what criteria would we base our assessments? These thoughts have pestered me all week!



And the parallel thought is always the same, Revelation 5:8 with the elders around the throne. I believe that these were modeling teleios- for us through God's eyes. These elders' hearts, minds, and spirits were fixed and fixated upon the Occupant of the throne. They had two means of communion with Father: prayer and worship. Were they pray-ers? No. Were they dedicated worshipers? No. They were and are elders and doing what elders ought to be doing, praying and worshiping at His feet, communing with their God.



This is a pretty radical view of maturity, but I think that it is what God is intending for us. Look around. No, look in the mirror! I do not measure up. I've been walking in Christ for 35+ years. I was asked recently, "Do you consider yourself a mature Christian?" I smiled and tried to pick a good answer from the many that gathered behind my lips. "Some days..." "As compared to what or whom?" "Are you kidding?" "Getting maturer every day..."



But if that is the goal, I want to be pursuing that kind of communion with Him. More meaningful conversations with Him, as I drive, as I walk, as much as I can while I work. Conversations, not mindless chatter filling up the spiritual airwaves. I want to let Him know I'm paying attention, but more than anything i want to hear His mind and His heart for me and for my world. If I pray His heart and His mind, "my" prayers are more likely to be answered.



More on this view of teleios- in my next edition.