“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 the ways of childhood behind me.”
1 Corinthians 13:11
Here’s a childhood memory.
In the 1970s, a popular television gameshow, “The Newlywed Game,” was an evening staple in my home.
And I, being a kid, didn’t quite understand it. Starting with the title of the gameshow itself.
I thought it was “The Newly-WEB Game.”
I know. Cute, isn’t it?
But wait, there’s more misunderstood adorability to be had.
Launching off from that word error, I made another error, as, throughout numerous episodes, the show referenced the wedding vows in its playful questions…
“Do you take (so and so) to be your “waffle-y” wedded wife/husband?”
Here we went again.
But hang on some more. We are STILL not done with the word error fun.
Sometimes, I thought the vow was “awfully-wedded” wife/husband.
I’d often flip back and forth from “waffle to awfully,” still clueless about the actual vow’s words.
(Please don’t ask me WHY).
I also got another famous breakfast food, “pancake” wrong, calling it, “pan-a-cake,” for a significant amount of time in my childhood. Years.
Yep, the wordsmith that I am now, could not get wedding-related words AND breakfast foods accurately straight.
Where am I going with this?
Well, many of us are not surprised that “The Bible” is hard to understand. This is not helped by the fact that some of the names are difficult to pronounce correctly without seriously spraining something.
In example…
Zaphnathpaaneah (Genesis 41:45)
Tilgathpilneser (1 Chronicles 5:6, 20)
Mahershalalhashbaz (Isaiah 8:1, 3)
Chushanrishathaim (Judges 3:8-10)
I know.
I’m not even going to try correctly pronouncing these names.
I mention this because, when it comes to scripture, names or no names, we get it wrong.
Waffle or awful.
It’s adorable hearing that kind of stuff from children.
After all…
“Out of the mouths of babes…”
“From the mouths of children and infants You have ordained praise on account of Your adversaries, to silence the enemy and avenger.”
Psalm 8:2
“Kids say the darnedest things.”
And we give much grace TO these Babes, these children, these kids, as they say amusingly wrong words, often with complete sincerity.
We give grace to children, yeah.
Buty if an adult made these same words errors? Do we find THAT amusing, in the same way?
Come on. You know the answer.
Nope. Nada. Zilch.
It’s about context. And what is appropriate when it comes to expectations.
We, ideally, rightfully, should expect different things, from children and adults.
And this applies spiritually as well.
Everything is spiritual, after all.
Consuming the spiritual, therefore, requires that we advance from the most basic, easy, and simple, to the “meatier,” more challenging stuff.
“But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”
Hebrews 5:14
Ideal, in theory. But scripture also pulls no punches when it comes to the reality of things…
“I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.”
1 Corinthians 3:2
STILL.NOT.READY.
Translation?
Spiritually speaking, we are still SPEAKING “waffle!”
And “Awfully.”
We still have a long way to grow up, don’t we?
It’s embarrassing, isn’t it?
When I was a child…
“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 the ways of childhood behind me.”
1 Corinthians 13:11
It’s the classic issue of immaturity versus maturity.
Where do we find ourselves ON that spectrum?
I know that sometimes, I don’t even sit ON the spectrum!
But, before you and I decree from the hills that it is embarrassingly hopeless, let’s remember…
Prayer.
We can pray.
Even ABOUT our embarrassing and immature selves.
Let’s pray right now.
Abba,
I come to You, in The Name of Your only begotten Son, Our Savior, יֵשׁוּעַ (Yah-Shua).
You know everything about my current state. You know how immature or mature I am.
You know.
I could come up with all kinds of excuses and “reasons,” but You know the full truth of who and where I am.
Forgive me.
That’s my only defense, isn’t it?
I need Your Forgiveness for my stubbornness, my immaturity, my arrogance, my pride.
They all play a role in my spiritual reality.
I need Your Help.
You are so loving and patient; thank you for being that way regarding me.
Help me to improve and become mature in a way that glorifies You.
Again, I need Your Help to accomplish that.
I ask for Your Wisdom and Your Guidance.
Thank You that You are Faithful and Loving to help me.
