AMP:
Hebrews 5:11 Concerning this we have much to say which is hard to explain, since you have become dull in your [spiritual] hearing and sluggish [even slothful in achieving spiritual insight].
Hebrews 5:12 For even though by this time you ought to be teaching others, you actually need someone to teach you over again the very first principles of God's Word. You have come to need milk, not solid food.
Hebrews 5:13 For everyone who continues to feed on milk is obviously inexperienced and unskilled in the doctrine of righteousness (of conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action), for he is a mere infant [not able to talk yet]!
Hebrews 5:14 But solid food is for full-grown men, for those whose senses and mental faculties are trained by practice to discriminate and distinguish between what is morally good and noble and what is evil and contrary either to divine or human law.
If you look carefully at the letters and spirits of those verses above, you would acknowledge the reality of stunted growth across generations. While we could attribute lack or growth in our own time to technological advances that have made more distracting gadgets available to an average person across the world; it is worthy of note that Apostle Paul also mentioned the widespread prevalence of stunted growth among the people of his own generation. Definitely, the problem is just the distractions brought about by technological development, but something deep beneath our corporate and personal being.
While we all want to grow, it no more news that we don't all grow – and perhaps at the same rate, even though we could share similar backgrounds or age. From my observation, I have discovered that growth has nothing to do with age. I have seen old people who have issues with their growth, and I have seen very young people who seem to have grown beyond their control or age-range. The question we should ask is, "What could be the cause of these growth variations?", "Why do some grow, when some simply stagnates or grow at very absurd rates?"
In my compound, there are two Palm trees that were bought from the same place and planted at the same time in two different locations. After over two years, the two Palm trees have grown up in different dimensions and sizes. Even though the two have not grown up perfectly, one seems to have grown better than the other. While meditating on this "anomaly"; I received an understanding that makes sense beyond the plant world to our own world.
These two Palm trees were both PLANTED, but due to the difference in their location, one Palm tree is privileged to be LOCATED at a place where water accumulates overtime; while the other is LOCATED at the place water hardly comes – and it is even surrounded by concrete floor that prevents more water from sinking down to reach its root. Did you notice something there? Both had soil and both enjoy same amount of sunlight; but because they had different access to water, they have grown differently.
The truth is, we all have access to the EARTH and its fullness; and in most cases, we all have access to good amount of SUNLIGHT; what differentiates many of us is our access to WATER. No matter how fertile a LAND may be, if the plants don't have access to ENOUGH Water, they will not grow. That is why the Psalmist didn't liken a blessed man to one planted BY GOOD SOIL; but one planted BY RIVERS OF WATER. The only way you can guarantee the fruitfulness of any tree in any season is by supplying enough water to that tree.
In the analogy of the Palm tree given, I mentioned three factors that determine growth, which are:
- Soil (Earth)
- Sun (Light)
- Water (Life)
Like plants, we "humans" – "humus men" are simply, "Earthly Man" and from our understanding of what God did at the creation of mankind, a man is a spirit being. Therefore, humans are spirit beings in earthen vessels or bodies. The point is, we already have the earth on us as our bodies; so, when we get the light from the sun, it supplies us what God had commanded it to supply us; however, if we remain for too long without enough water, we risk destroying our earthen bodies. Beyond this principle applying to our bodies, water according to the Bible is the Word of God, which Jesus says Man must live on. The Word of God comes to each one of us in the form of knowledge; hence, the secret to growth (unhindered) is a consistent feeding on the Word of God or drinking the water of life (which is the word of God).
Stunted growth is basically caused by lack of enough water. And if such isn't addressed as quickly as possible, it could lead to loss of life or continuity. If you as a person must grow up well beyond your current rate, then you must commit yourself to more learning. Find and feed on the right knowledge! If you have a copy of the Bible on you, open them and read till you have enough (water of life) into your spirit man. Remember, having enough earth isn't enough for your survival, you need water, I present the Word of God to you today as a viable source of knowledge, which will build you up and give you access to other resources of God prepared for since you were born.
AMP:
Acts 20:32 And now [brethren], I commit you to God [I deposit you in His charge, entrusting you to His protection and care]. And I commend you to the Word of His grace [to the commands and counsels and promises of His unmerited favor]. It is able to build you up and to give you [your rightful] inheritance among all God's set-apart ones (those consecrated, purified, and transformed of soul).
Indeed, you can be built up by the Word of God; so, no need deceiving yourself with the number versions you have without actually reading any. Knowledge isn't of much use until you have them inside your system, so start reading now, if you must have enough fruits (profiting) in days, weeks, months and years to come.
