Grow up

I'm a tennis fan. I've played the game most of my life. And I've followed the careers of several pro players over the years, especially such rivals as Borg and McEnroe, Sampras and Agassi, Federer and Nadal. My wife gave me Agassi's new book, Open, as an early Christmas present. It's an intriguing read, one that pulls no punches, revealing much of the chaos and pathos of a sports celebrity. Since Andre came on the public scene as a teen-ager, a good bit of the book deals with his struggle to become an adult. He finds significance in the comment of the famed Christian writer C.S. Lewis, "God wants us to grow up." Andre battles his personal demons, to be sure, but he concludes that what it all means, what life is to teach us, is to be helpful to other people. For him, that's what ultimately enabled him to grow up.

The Apostle Paul dealt with the question of spiritual maturity. 'Speaking the truth in love,' he says, 'we are to grow up in every way into Christ.' The context of that thought recognizes the interdependence of all disciples, the "body" that is composed of many different parts, each with vital functions and responsibilities. To grow up in Christ is to take our place in the community, to be a responsible part of the fellowship, to care for one another, to speak -- and live -- the truth in love.