Jesus Only: Part Oneنموونە

Week 4, Day 6 - Friday

Spiritual Maturity - When Two Heads Are NOT Better Than One

Having two heads is like having two bosses. If you’ve ever had to endure this, you know how impossible this can be. Switching back and forth can only last so long. You may say that one is in charge, but the reality is the one you follow. This is even more obvious in following Jesus as your Head (your Leader)… or not. 

Jesus is living in and among us, the hope of glory. So what is keeping us from following Him fully and experiencing His fullness in us? Yesterday we considered how we can say Jesus is our Head, but choose to follow our own agenda, a false surrender that undermines spiritual maturity. Today we look at how our actions point to another person as our Head, but we give lip service to Jesus in our prayers and words. One Head that we say we’re following, and one that we actually look to for approval. Having two heads never really works. One is just a figurehead. 

Why would we do that? 

One, maybe we don’t want to develop spiritually. We’d rather borrow it from someone else. Developing spiritual maturity (in fact, all growth) takes effort and perseverance. We may surrender to someone else’s plan for us because it seems like too much effort to develop it. We let them do the thinking  and give us answers. Jesus may have questions He wants us to consider. Answering Jesus’ questions often takes us on a journey when we’d rather stay at home. 

The Colossians had people telling them the way to spiritual maturity was through following the Jewish rules. You’ll hear more about that in the week ahead. Paul warned them to follow Jesus and not go back to that way of trying to please God (climbing the "Gospel Ladder"). 

Two, we often use comparison with others to bolster our identity and, in doing so, we give them power over us. We look to them as our Head. This kind of hierarchy, ranking, and judging others is rampant in our world, and sadly, the church as well. It’s so prevalent we don’t even realize how much these things color our interactions and conversations. Ability, popularity, beauty, wealth, communication - and those are just the positive ones. How often do we give in to the strength of someone else’s anger or silence or disapproval? 

Choosing others as our Head is another form of idolatry. We prefer immediate feedback on how well we’re doing, and we can get it without changing what really matters. 

The spiritual maturity that Jesus (our true Head) offers, affects us at a deeper level and takes more time. He offers us transformation that requires more change in us. Practices like silence and stillness, journaling our true thoughts and feelings, noticing our motives and reactions and bringing them into line with His truth, speaking the truth in love - these are things that develop our true identity in Him. 

The Body works beautifully when "Jesus Only" is the Head of the Church. When we all willingly  submit to Him as our Head, no one person is above another. As Paul puts it,  “In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and He lives in all of us.” (Col. 3:11)

Reflection Questions

How aware are you of giving attention to others’ words instead of listening to Jesus? 

Who in your life influences your actions more than Jesus? 

What is one spiritual practice that helps you listen to Jesus?