We’ve probably all heard the age old adage, “Give a man a fish and you’ll feed him for a day; Teach a man to fish and you’ll feed him for a lifetime.”  Like me, you’d say, ‘That’s common sense.”  If this is common sense, then why is it so hard when it comes to our spiritual lives.

In Matthew 4:19,  Jesus said, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.”  He was telling them, “Come on – let me show you how to fish.”  Isn’t this what Pastors are doing every Sunday as they stand before the groups of people who have gathered to hear the message of Jesus.  It’s our desire not to just give them a fish, but to teach them to fish.  This has to be our passion.  This is what spiritual maturity is all about.  What a joy to take someone from needing to be fed (infant) to feeding others (adult).  This is the pleasure of parents watching their children grow into adulthood.

This also brings to bear the responsibility each of us has to not remain as infants, immature in our faith.  We have to get beyond the feed me, or I’ll pitch a fit; hold me, burp me, let me cry and clean up my mess stage of life.  There is nothing more frustrating than a 50 year old man in diapers sitting in a high chair crying and demanding to be fed and throwing his plate in the floor because he doesn’t want to eat peas and carrots.  We must not be that man.  Hebrews 6:1 says, “Therefore leaving the elementary teachings about Christ, let us press on to maturity…”  Paul was saying that there is a time to grow up.  And again in Ephesians 4:15, “but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,…”

Don’t become content being where you are spiritually.  This will quickly become complacency.  Complacency brings discontent and discontent complaining and complaining… well you can see where this leads.  Pursue the depths of God with all diligence.  Take advantage of every opportunity He gives you to grow.  Allow what you are receiving spiritually to fuel your passion to feed others and in turn also teach them to fish.  Oh, and what a joy that is to your parents or pastors.