Sunday afternoon, I took my 15-month-old grandson out in the backyard. His little hand wrapped neatly around one of my fingers for a few minutes. Then, he took off on his own. I could not help but be amused when I watched him come to a little bitty stick that had blown off of one of our abundance of pine trees. If he stepped on a stick, it would throw him off, and he would nearly fall, or sometimes he would fall. As we walked, he got to the point that when he came to a stick, he would lift his little leg way up, and step over the stick with what was, for him, a giant step. As I watched him, I told my daughter (his mother) that an article was forming in my mind, based on his actions. Well, here it is.
You see, as his mother and I walked along, we simply stepped on those little sticks, never thinking about them at all. They were not obstacles to us. However, for him, they were major obstacles that could make the difference between standing and falling. Being the preacher that I am, I could not help but think of the biblical application that this helped illustrate.
The Scriptures often make reference to the fact that new Christians are like “newborn babes.” For instance, Peter says, “Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (1 Peter 2:1-3). The new Christian has to grow and mature. Paul rebuked Christians who should have grown but did not grow (1 Corinthians 3:1-2; Hebrews 5:12-14). So, the concept of “babes in Christ” is a clear concept. Watching Thomas made me think of some things.
We must practice patience, because for the newborn Christian there may be some things that are major hurdles to overcome that are not significant hurdles for mature Christians. When one becomes a Christian, he must learn to leave behind ideas and concepts that have been drilled into him all of his life. That is a process. It begins with an acceptance of the Word of God and the authority of Jesus. The application of this determination to follow God will lead to changes in thoughts and actions. The newborn Christian (as true of every Christian) is not perfect, but is saved by the blood of Jesus. All of this means that from time to time especially babes in Christ are going to come upon a “stick” over which they must carefully step to keep from falling. That stick may not be a major obstacle any more, as they mature in the faith.
We must continue to strengthen and teach after a person obeys the Gospel. We feed the newborn infant. I still walk with Thomas, ready to grab him and help him if he falls, and to help him avoid the dangers of the world around him. We must have the same attitude toward our newborn brothers and sisters in Christ. I believe that is why Jesus instructed us to make disciples, baptize them and then continue to teach them “all things that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20). If we neglect the newborn, the newborn will die; if we neglect the newborn Christian, the newborn Christian will die spiritually.
Out in the yard where I was walking with the grandbaby, there were several larger limbs that I had to watch out for. There are also holes in the ground that I had to avoid or I would fall. The little sticks do not bother me like they do Thomas, but the big ones pose a danger to me. My point is that while we grow more mature, we will leave behind some obstacles that can cause us to fall, and hopefully we do not any longer have to worry about the “little sticks,” yet we never get to the point that we no longer have to watch out for where we are going. “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). Spiritual maturity is important. However, it is important to understand that we never quit growing, and that we will always have to overcome obstacles that will try to keep us from standing firm. The same principle was applied as Paul wrote about restoring one who has fallen. He noted the “spiritual,” in other words those who are spiritually mature. He said, “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted” (Galatians 6:2).
I want to hold little Thomas’ hand and to help guide him over the little sticks and also the major obstacles in his life. His mother and father feel the same way. We need to have the same concern for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are still babes in the faith.
