When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me (1 Corinthians 13:11).

I teach middle school.

You’re welcome.

Anyway, today is the first day of school. I will see scores of children being children and behaving as children behave. And off we will go through August and September and the holidays and into the new year, and as the school year progresses something amazing will happen.

Some of them will grow up, a little.

I say some, because many of them will continue to have burping contests and give each other wedgies well into their teens.

Or…you know…thirties

I say a little because they are still children, and it shows, even in the most adultiest of them. And that’s a good thing, because they are still children.

But, little by little, children learn to think. Little by little some of them begin to move out of the world of childish fantasy into a world of cause-and-effect reasoning. I say little by little because their brains are still developing, and reasoning is a skill that must be learned. I sat some because, well, look at society. It is right and good and natural for the child to grow and mature.

In yesterday’s verse, Paul said that prophecies and tongues and other spiritual gifts would pass away. When Perfection comes, these tools are nor longer needed. Just as the child grows up and begins to see the world as it really is, so we will grow up in Christ and, ultimately, when Christ returns, we will see reality as it really is.

We will finally be spiritual grownups.

Amen. Come. Lord Jesus.

Happy Thursday, Beloved