In approximately two more months, our youngest son will be graduating from high school, receiving a diploma, then moving onto college, where he'll graduate and receive a degree...and so on.

1. Person-hood (conception-death): is achieved as soon as we are conceived and we're completely dependent on our mother's love, care and protection in accordance with God's word (Ps 127:3; Prov 6:16-19);
   
   
2. Infant-hood (birth-2 years): is achieved when God decides we're ready to live outside of our mother's wombs, where we require our parents to provide all the love, food, protection and care necessary for us to thrive physically and spiritually (Deut 6:4-9);
   
   
3. Toddler-hood (2-5 years): is achieved when we move from our mother's milk, to eating solid food, from crawling to walking, from crying to using words as a form of communication—this is the time when we first begin to understand the Ten Commandments and godly teaching our parents provide, in the hopes that one day, we too may know Christ and be known by Him (Philippians 3:8-9);
   
   
4. Child-hood (5-12 years): is achieved when we're able to participate in formal education and learn to consider others better than ourselves (Philippians 2:3)—begin hiding God's word in our hearts that we might not sin against Him, and learn the fundamentals of Christianity with the ability to begin working out our own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12-14);
   
   
5. Young adult-hood (12-18 years): is achieved when we've graduated high school and are able to move onto higher forms of education, learning and maturing both before the sight on man and God (Luke 2:42, 52; Eph 4:11-15—more firmly understanding who we are in Christ, we pursue to live with excellence and holiness unto the Lord.
   
   
6. Adult-hood (18 years-death): is achieved when we have learned to take responsibility for ourselves and are able to be responsible for at least, one other person—continuing to mature as we faithfully bear the fruit of repentance and bear good fruit in the name of Christ, growing in the grace and knowledge of Him who alone is the Savior for all mankind (Acts 4:11-12; Col 1:9-14).

"Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."

~Colossians 3:22-24

"Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you."

~Philippians 3:12-15