Lessons from Newborns (Bulletin Article for July 2)
Several times, those who are new to the family of God are compared with physical newborns. We are blessed to have several who have recently put on Christ in baptism and who are now beginning to mature in the faith. There are several things that those of us who have been Christians for several years need to remember.
First, not every baby grows at the same rate. Just as precious infants will grow at different speeds, so will the new child in Christ. Some are already quite mature when they decide to be immersed and others need a lot of growth. Some will quickly begin to show great strides in their maturity, others will not. That is okay. While all should be maturing (cf. Hebrews 6:1-2), there is no Biblical formula for how fast one should mature.
Second, babies get sick from time-to-time. Part of growing up is catching the occasional “bug.” When infants catch a virus it can be scary, but it also is part of their growing process. We need to remember that Satan does not stop working on someone just because he or she has just become a Christian. These babes in Christ are going to stumble. They are still battling temptation and sin just like the rest of us. We who know how difficult it is to face the devil’s wiles (cf. Ephesians 6:11) should be there for these newborns and help them through difficult times.
Third, although, they are young, they can teach us many things. Being a new parent is quite a learning process. Many people (in fact, just about everyone) try to tell you how to raise your child. Books, magazines, TV shows and websites abound to give you “expert” advice. Truth be told, though, nothing is better than experience. We learn from experiences, both good and bad. These who are new to the family of God can also teach us much. They have so much zeal for service. They bring a fresh perspective to Bible study. They help us remember what it was like when we first named the name of Jesus.
No matter what, we must always remember that, whether we have been a Christian for 75 years or just a few moments, we are a vital part of the family of God. Let’s make sure we welcome and encourage our new brothers and sisters in Christ.
