What is Maturity?

May 5, 2018

Good Morning Family and Friends,

I am happy to be getting back to all of you after a very busy two weeks. I didn’t find time to be able to write last, and as always I only have to report that all is well here in Curitiba. We have helped a few over the past two weeks to grow closer to our savior, made some new friends as well, and been able to spread the masters love to more corners of the earth one person at a time.

This past week I was pondering about our Judgments that we make and the source of some of our choices. I came to a thought about “Maturity” with Lloyd Newel explains:

“It’s fair to say that the world would be better if people were a little more mature. We hear of conflict and anger on our roads and in our homes, we know of dangers and discord around the world, and we wish more people would “act their age.” But that doesn’t necessarily mean we need more senior citizens—in fact, most would agree that maturity is not merely a matter of age or even experience. A person may be old in years and not very mature; on the other hand, we are often surprised by the maturity of young people. Yes, maturity is more than years. 

So what is maturity?

Maturity is exercising good judgment: it’s knowing when to speak up and when to keep quiet. Maturity is doing the right thing even when it’s not the easy thing. Maturity is balancing time and resources wisely and putting first things first. Maturity is humility: it’s being willing to say, “I was wrong” and “I’m sorry.” Maturity is keeping your word and living up to your responsibilities. Columnist Ann Landers is credited with this definition: “Maturity is the ability to stick with a job until it’s finished; to do a job without being supervised; to carry money without spending it; and to bear injustice without wanting to get even.”

That which inspires us to do good, to help others, to be better, to think beyond the here and now, could be called maturity. Indeed, maturity covers a wide description of positive qualities. Many of these qualities are taught in the school of experience, but as the students in that school, we determine how effective the curriculum is. No, maturity is not just “acting our age” but acting according to our better natures, according to our innate sense of goodness. Maturity is not an inevitable part of aging but rather a choice. Anytime we choose to do the right thing, to be responsible and dependable, to help and not harm, to lift and not be little, we choose to be mature. And with that choice, we are also choosing a good and happy life—for ourselves and for the world around us.”

May we as well continue to strive in our spiritual growth forward, and in doing so, exercise better judgment, turning more mature along each step, with each mistake, and through every trial is my prayer, In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Until next week,

-Elder Matthew Arscott