当今社会往往会忽视老年人。他们往往看重年轻、创新和对成功的渴望。年轻是一种时尚，跟不上时代的人往往被挤到一边。
一个古老的非洲谚语看法却不同：“老人坐着能看到的东西，年轻人站着都看不到”。换句话说，年轻人充满青春和活力，但他们缺少由经验而来的智慧。
即使在早期教会，也有一些风会把初信徒吹偏。有一些思想、理想和意识形态会左右初信徒的方向。为了抵御教义的风暴，分清什么是智慧的，什么是愚昧的，成熟起来尤为重要。一个不成熟的基督徒可能喜乐、充满活力，但也可能不稳定、缺乏辨别力。成熟的基督徒在爱中承认真理，同时不断成长。他们知道爱与真理、教义与生命、恩典与圣洁是相辅相成的，不应该分开。能够像这样成长是非常美妙的。无论我们跟随耶稣多久，我们都会在信仰中不断成长。
你可以通过哪些方式保持灵命的成熟？神如何呼召你支持和鼓励下一代信徒呢？
主啊，求你帮助我们活在爱和真理之中，帮助他人在信仰中成长。阿们。
哥林多前书 13章
1我若能说万人的方言，并天使的话语，却没有爱，我就成了鸣的锣、响的钹一般。
2我若有先知讲道之能，也明白各样的奥秘、各样的知识，而且有全备的信叫我能够移山，却没有爱，我就算不得什么。
3我若将所有的赒济穷人，又舍己身叫人焚烧，却没有爱，仍然于我无益。
4爱是恒久忍耐，又有恩慈，爱是不嫉妒，爱是不自夸，不张狂，
5不做害羞的事，不求自己的益处，不轻易发怒，不计算人的恶，
6不喜欢不义，只喜欢真理；
7凡事包容，凡事相信，凡事盼望，凡事忍耐。
8爱是永不止息。先知讲道之能终必归于无有，说方言之能终必停止，知识也终必归于无有。
9我们现在所知道的有限，先知所讲的也有限；
10等那完全的来到，这有限的必归于无有了。
11我做孩子的时候，话语像孩子，心思像孩子，意念像孩子；既成了人，就把孩子的事丢弃了。
12我们如今仿佛对着镜子观看，模糊不清，到那时就要面对面了。我如今所知道的有限，到那时就全知道，如同主知道我一样。
13如今常存的有信、有望、有爱这三样，其中最大的是爱。
"We will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching. . . ." - Ephesians 4:14
Many societies in the world today tend to neglect elderly people. They often focus on youth, innovation, and the desire to get ahead. Being young is fashionable, and people who can't keep up are often pushed aside.
An old African proverb puts it differently: “What an old man can see sitting down, the youth cannot see standing up.” In other words, young people are full of youth and energy, but they don’t have the wisdom that is acquired through experience.
Even in the early days of the church there were winds that could blow new believers off course. Ideas, ideals, and ideologies could sway new Christians one way and then another. In order to withstand the storm of doctrines and sort out what is wise from what is foolish, it is important to become mature. An immature Christian may be joyful and full of energy but can also be unstable and undiscerning. Mature Christians confess the truth in love while continuing to grow. They know that love and truth, doctrine and life, grace and holiness go hand in hand and should not be separated. It is wonderful to be able to grow in this way. All of us continue to grow in faith, no matter how long we have followed Jesus.
In what ways can you keep growing in spiritual maturity? How is God calling you to support and encourage the next generation of believers?
Lord, help us to speak and live by the truth in love, helping others to grow in faith. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
