You Can’t Grow Into Maturity by Watching from the Stands

There is a difference between knowing the rules of baseball and knowing how to play baseball.

You can sit on your couch or in the stands and watch a game. You can understand the principles. You can know what a strike is, what a foul ball is, and what is supposed to happen when the ball is hit. But watching the game does not make you a good player.

A good player improves through practice, coaching, correction, repetition, and time with teammates.

The same is true of our spirituality.

We cannot grow into mature followers of Jesus by attending church occasionally on Sunday morning. We cannot become mature Christians by remaining disconnected from other Christians. The Christian life is not meant to be lived by yourself.

Hebrews 10:19–25 gives us a picture of Christian maturity. Because of the blood of Jesus, we can enter God’s presence with confidence. Jesus opened the new and living way for us. We do not draw near because we have performed well enough. We draw near because Christ opened the way through His sacrifice.

But notice how often the writer says “let us.” Let us draw near. Let us hold fast. Let us consider how to stir up one another. The invitation is personal, but it is also shared. We follow Jesus together.

That means we need relationships where people can know us honestly. That is not easy. If we let people know us honestly, they may see our faults and failures. But spiritual growth requires more than being present in the same room. It requires people who can pray with us, encourage us, correct us, and help us keep following Jesus.

A baseball team does not prepare for the next inning with every player standing in a different corner of the field. They gather, listen, receive instruction from the coach, and get on the same page. The huddle does not replace individual responsibility. Each player still has a place on the field. But the huddle reminds every player that he or she is part of something larger.

Church is more than an audience gathered to watch a religious performance. It is a community of redeemed people learning to follow Jesus together.

So ask yourself: Who helps me draw near to Jesus? Am I part of a group, class, prayer relationship, or discipleship relationship where spiritual growth can happen? Who might need an invitation to take the next step with me?

You cannot practice alone forever. Jesus has given you a place on the team, and He has given you teammates.

Originally published at lakelynn.org.