Modern Maturity

When do we become adults? What is maturity? When we get our drivers license? When we graduate from high school? When we become a "legal adult"? When we graduate with a degree? When we get married? When we have kids? WHEN?!

Everyone has different views on when we reach adulthood. But, what do those questions above have in common? They all have to do with a certain age, right? We get our drivers license in high school, we graduate from high school when we are 18, we are a legal adult at age 21, we graduate at around age 22, get married at around age 25, and have kids before we're 30! Yes, I have opinions and ideas on when one turns into an adult. But, for me, it doesn't depend on age....it depends on maturity.

In today's society, I believe we lack in educating our "adults-to-be" in transitioning from children to adults. Yes, adulthood varies from person to person. What does this mean? Well, not everyone gets the same type of degree...some go onto more schooling because that's what is most important to them. This type of person thinks that a spouse and family can wait...they are solely career minded for the time being. And that is perfectly fine! On the other hand there are others who go to college mainly to get hitched...they earn a degree so that they will meet someone else who is working for a degree and when they are married, have 2.5 kids, and live in a big house surrounded by a white picket fence their life is complete!

Today, we are spoiled! We think once we graduate we can move out of the dorms into a house ATLEAST the size of our parent's house now, buy that SUV, finally wear all of the designer clothes we like, and decorate our house right out of the pottery barn magazine. WRONG! Instead of being a poor college kid we will be a poor career woman/man or poor wife/husband/couple! We got to start out small, make smart choices, and go from there...where ever God takes us with happy thoughts mind you :)

For adults-to-be, a definition of what maturity needs to look like today : Create more, consume less.

What does THAT mean?!

As kids, we are consumers. Our parents set up our activities for us, we just had to sit back and enjoy them. We lived in their house, ate their food, and used their stuff. We used their free time and lots of their money. We made little impact on the world and had little ownership of our lives. In other words, we were dependent.

This is perfectly acceptable and expected...but our parents don't want this going on forever! But sadly, a lot of us aren't outgrowing this passive role. Some people are in their upper twenties and living in their parent's basement simply because of their sheer laziness.

We are dependent on "stuff" for our happiness. Instead, we need to take the gifts and abilities God has given us and create! Make a difference in your life so that you can impact others. The difference here is that when we create, our capacity for satisfaction increases as opposed to our need for satisfaction. When we create, we are initiating and are content and thankful for what God has done.

A big difference between consuming and creating is the idea of discipline and commitment. When we consume, we don't have to commit to anything. When we get bored or aren't satisfied anymore, we can just move on to the next thing. But when we create we have to commit everything; we have to surrender to God by letting Him make the calls and follow through on His plan. We must discipline our self to deny ourselves and to make God's desires our desires.

So what does consuming and creating have to do with growing up? Well, if we want to grow up and be treated like an adult we have to be proactive. We can't just sit back and let others make our lives for us. We must make an impact and create our world instead of consume it. Sounds hard! But, with God, all things are possible :) We are His workmanship; God didn't design us to just sit around and look pretty. He designed us as His light, to influence others in a positive way.

It doesn't matter how old we are...we just need to grow up! Pursue the life God has given us and embrace it.