I watched the Curious Case of Benjamin Button some years ago and I remember that everything about this award winning movie is curious indeed - the title, the plot, the characters, the personal lesson.
The movie tells the story of a child born as an old man and grows backwards to a baby. When Benjamin Button was 70 years old, his mates were at infancy; when he became an infant, his mates were at old age. Curious!
But even more curious was that as he died an infant; his mates died aged.
They all ultimately died.
Benjamin grew backwards to death whereas his mates grew upward to death.
I am fascinated by the possibility of these two kinds of growth. Clearly, this movie is fantasy at best but again, great life lessons have come from works of fantasy such as J.R Tolkien's 'Lord of the Rings' and J.K Rowling's 'Harry Potter' - a personal favourite for me.
- Can a person actually grow backwards?
- When a person doesn’t make progressive steps in life, is that person growing backwards?
Attention must be given to personal growth because as it is popularly said, "growth is the only evidence of life".
There is a revealing text in scripture that teaches that people ought to grow and demonstrates how they should grow,
Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
Luke 2:51-52 NIV
First, the text mirrors the humanity of Jesus as it describes Jesus willingness to obey and submit to his human parents. God doesn't submit and obey man; so clearly, it is the manness in the God-Man that is demonstrated herein.
Hence, Jesus set a growth model for anyone who is human.
Second, we see how Jesus grew. That is, we notice the growth map of his life - wisdom, stature, favour with God and favour with man
Jesus grew mentally...
Wisdom is in the faculty of the mind. There was mental and intellectual growth in his life. This is why the wisdom in his teachings were impeccable perplexing to the teachers of the law and yet simple to the children on the streets. He expanded his mind.
If he did, we are expected to.
- What plans have you made to expand your mind this year, this month, today?
- Is there a course to take, a book to read, an education perhaps?
Grow mentally!
Jesus grew physically...
There are features that make our stature as humans. Body size, Body fitness, finance...
As one makes progress along the lines of mental growth, attention ought to be given to healthy living. God needs your body to be fit. If you are reckless about your health, you may short circuit God’s robust plans for your life.
Charles Wesley is quoted to say, God buries his workmen, and his work continues.
If you don’t take care of your body, your burial will be earlier than desired. In the charismatic healing revival of the 1950s, unfortunately many healing evangelists died when they did simply because they were reckless about their health. Jesus grew physically.
- What are your healthy living goals
- Have you been working on your finances
Christians are not lazy-miracle-covetous-people. We work hard to live healthy and abudantly,
‘And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’
Acts of the Apostles 20:35 NLT
Grow physically!
Jesus grew spiritually...
Jesus grew in favour with God!
This is perhaps the most primal growth trajectory because it is the motivation for all other growth enterprise.
Jesus' prayer life grew.
Jesus' devotional life grew.
Jesus experienced growth in sctipture engagement and meditation.
Jesus grew in discipleship and spiritual giftings.
Jesus' sensitivity to God's will and God's needs grew.
Observe that a great while before day, Jesus would go up the mountains for devotions, even after a busy crusade (see Mark 2). He didn't master this devotional practice at 30. He started early in life to grow spiritually.
- Have you been growing in prayer and ths word
- Is your 'campus you' more spiritual robust than your 'present you'?
Grow spiritually!
Jesus grew socially...
It's amazing to see that Jesus grew in favour with man. His relationship with his fellow man blossomed in no small way. Jesus had so grown socially that he had tax collectors as well as pharisees as friends; he could pass as a children teacher as well as Adult mobilizer. He knew how to preach to prostitutes as well as the political elite. Jesus grew in his understanding of people's needs. Jesus was not insensitive to the hurt around him.
- Are you joining social clubs, social communities in church;
- Are you opening yourself up to relationships;
- Are you taking people for granted? Jesus didn’t do that. You shouldn’t.
Grow socially!
We all will ultimately die some day. It is important that we don’t die growing backwards but upwards.
