I told her that we didn’t have any juice in the car, but that she could have some water.

She started getting upset and asked for juice again.

I offered her the water again, and she reluctantly took it.

And then she asked for juice again.

When I told her that we didn’t have any in the car, she started crying.

“I just want some juice!”

She is two years old, and this was a completely developmentally appropriate conversation.

(At least, back me up if you have also tried to raise a two-year-old ????.)

She doesn’t have emotional maturity yet to understand that she can’t have juice whenever she wants it OR how to appropriately deal with frustration when she can’t satisfy her desire.

Have you ever thought about the concept of SPIRITUAL maturity?

Jesus Christ commands us to “be ye therefore perfect”.

I’ve heard quite a few words that people like to substitute for “perfect”, since we know we will not and cannot achieve perfection in this life.

But one of my BYU religious professors told us his version of a translation for “perfect” that has always resonated with me:

Be ye therefore SPIRITUALLY MATURE.

We can’t get to “perfection”. But we CAN see ourselves sliding farther and farther on the sliding scale of spiritual maturity.

Are we doing what we are supposed to do without needing to be checked in on?

Do we nitpick commandments and find “loopholes”?

Do we act on our own accord to do good?

Do we understand that rewards may be delayed?

We all start out as emotional toddlers who need constant, constant, CONSTANT direction, reassurance, and correction.

But our loving Savior wants us to develop spiritual maturity.

As you study the beatitudes and other wise counsel straight from our Savior this week, I challenge you to look at each commandment on a sliding scale and ask yourself:

How can I be more spiritually mature in fulfilling this commandment?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

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