How Long, Oh Lord?

In an earlier Post I asked how long it took Saul to get mature enough to actually preach and teach with maturity. Today we will look at the answer.

When I ask that question to Clergy and seminary students as well as most believers, they say the same thing. He was ready immediately to be an Apostle!

This response shows one reason Christians in general and people in leadership are so weak and volatile. They are immature.

In times past I was in the same frame of mind. Thankfully I received the gift of an older man that took me under his wing and helped me see how immature I was.

It hit me one day that I, as a teacher and professor of education in college, knew that every school system in the world has levels of training. Even the church does for children and youth. Nearly all have classes for each age level with materials that are aimed at the appropriate age maturity.

However, after age 18 or so everyone is thrown together into a "Sunday service" that forces speakers to attempt to speak to people ranging in age from 8 to 80! There are widely divergent needs and abilities within that one congregation.

The only possible way a person can grow in Truth, Fruit, Gifts and Power is to gather with others of a similar maturity led by an older Believer that can cover the Theory/Theology as well as the Practices of a growing Christian. Thankfully, I was able to listen accompany my mentor as he spoke, ministered to the sick, did funerals, weddings and visited hospitals.

I was very impressed by a famous Christian Doctor that took me with him to minister to an elderly man in a coma. We entered the hospital room and he spoke to the man as if he were wide awake when in truth he had been comatose for days.

The Doctor took his hand and said gently how glad he was to be able to visit and bring the man up to date on  his family and current events. As we left I asked why he was so chatty and personal to a comatose man. He said, "The ability to hear is the last  thing that leaves us. I always speak to my patients as if they were able to converse with me.

In the case of surgery I demand that the Physicians and Nurses speak gently and positively while in the OR. Even if they are deeply medicated I know that their souls will be able to receive the blessings of uplifting conversations and music.

I still attempt to remember that when I visit people that are apparently not awake. It had a lecture, sharing, personal modeling and hands on experience. Yes, I did pray for the man along with the Doctor.

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