Title: Growing Down: Unlearning the Patterns of Adulthood that Keep Us from Jesus
Author: Michael Kelley
Publisher: B & H Publishing Group
Overview
The thought of growing up is something that intrigues every child. They cannot wait until they become “older” and put away many of the restraints that hold on to our lives. What if in growing older, we actually lose some of the things that are essential to us as followers of Jesus?
In Growing Down, Michael Kelley brings out some of the things that we might have to “unlearn” to be all that we are supposed to be as Christians. As the back cover says, “Kelley wrestles with Jesus’ words that the kingdom of heaven belongs to the likes of little children.”
Thoughts
I have to admit that when I saw the title of this book, I was intrigued. I have always been one that said that I would grow older, but I would never grow up. I still like to do pranks. I still like to goof off.
I have been confronted with the words of Paul in the New Testament though: “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put away childish things” (1 Corinthians 13:11 CSB). There comes a time when you do have to grow up in life. We cannot continue to operate in life as we did when we were young children. There are responsibilities and other things that call for us to behave as adults.
Some have taken this verse to mean that we need to put away all things of our childhood years and just be adults. This becomes a problem when we run into the words of Jesus in Mark 10:15 = “Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
Michael Kelley has put together a wonderful book that talks about what does childlike faith look like. While there are some things that we need to leave behind as we grow older, there are some essentials that our culture will try to drive out as the years pass by. Kelley shares eight areas where some “growing down” needs to take place if a person wants to experience a powerful relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Recommendation
I found Growing Down to be a very thought-provoking read. It was not overbearing, but it addressed some major issues that people face in their walk with the Lord. I would highly encourage any adult that is serious about having a vibrant relationship with Jesus to check out Growing Down by Michael Kelley.
