“When you were a baby, you didn’t know how to use a spoon.”
I used this illustration three times the other day. Each time was in response to someone who was incredibly frustrated by their inability to do something, their shortcoming, their failure. “When you were a baby, you didn’t know how to use a spoon. But then you practiced and practiced and got better and better. Now you’re an expert at using a spoon. It’s easy for you. You don’t even have to think twice about it.”
It’s true, we aren’t born knowing how to use a spoon. Or drink from a cup or put on clothes or do algebra. We don’t know how to play the piano or shoot a basket. We don’t even know how to speak our native language yet. What comes right out of the box isn’t all that impressive. The Bible puts it this way – “We were born with an evil nature, and we were under God’s anger” (Ephesians 2:3).
This is our natural condition and it’s pretty pathetic. But it doesn’t have to be our permanent condition any more than a baby has to be content to never learn to use a spoon. As a matter of fact, the Bible says that when we’re born again in the Spirit, we’re given a “brand-new nature that is continually being renewed as [we] learn more and more about Christ, who created this new nature within [us]” (Colossians 3:10).
Paul goes on to describe the characteristics of this new nature – mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, and love (Colossians 3:13-14). I guarantee none of these come naturally. These are qualities we have to be trained into through repeated practice.
Fortunately for us, God patiently teaches us, just as the parent teaches the child. He will go over it again and again until these qualities become second nature.
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Babies don’t beat themselves up about their lack of knowledge. They get on with the work of learning. Sometimes they’re frustrated, but they persist. Growth is necessary for life. When something stops growing, it dies.
If you’re frustrated because you don’t have it all together yet, let this thought encourage you – once you didn’t know how to use a spoon, but now you’re an expert. So, too, will you be trained in godliness until it’s second nature, your renewed nature made in the image of Christ.
Train yourself to be godly. 1 Timothy 4:7