What is Maturity? - Part 2

I heard someone once describe maturity as 'Living life as we are now, whilst looking to ahead to what we will become.' There has to be a distinction between our present and our future. There are parallels in the Bible. (Eph 4:13; Phil 3:12-15)

1 John 3:2 says 'Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is.' Put simply although we are not like Christ now, we shall be when he returns. But what does this mean for us now? What are we supposed to do until then?

Philippians 2 shows us that Jesus was able to separate the present from the future. He lived life on earth as a man yet He knew He would be seated in heavenly places at the right hand of God. He had a choice between claiming himself as equal with God, sitting on His laurels and soaking in the praise; or to put aside His future life and humbly serving, swapping the laurels for thorns.

Our journey through maturity presents us with the same choice. Can we live with our feet in the present, with our choices, hearts, words and actions firmly rooted in who we are now, whilst also realising that the best is yet to come?

In Philippians Paul writes about us as citizens of Heaven (Philippians 3:20), that our future is not the same as our present here on earth (vs 21). Yet how can we live as a citizen of Heaven? Paul writes that we can expect three things to continue past this Earth, three things we will find in Heaven: Faith Hope and Love. So to my mind to live as a citizen of Heaven means living with these things in our lives even now here on Earth. We have Faith for the Now, Hope for the Future and Love, the greatest of all that covers the past present and future of both ourselves and of everyone around us.