Episode 448: I’m Talkin…Childish

I’m Talkin', episode 448 for November 15, 2026.

This is Joel from the I’m Talkin' microcast, where I share my thoughts on a topic that has piqued my interest this past week.

This week, we’re talking childish.

Childish might be a word that we don’t really like.

It might be kind of used as a put-down, but it really depends on the age of the person that you’re talking to.

We think of childish as someone who is not acting in a mature manner.

They want something without regard for other people.

There’s a lot of whining.

There may be a tantrum, and sometimes we expect that from the little ones in our lives, and sometimes we get that from the grown-ups in our lives, and therein lies the challenge for those of us who call ourselves Christians.

Today’s word comes from 1 Corinthians 13, verse 11, that says, When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child.

But when I grew up, I put away childish things.

That feels like a natural progression that we all take just as human beings.

But the interesting thing is that when we become Christians, we become what the Bible refers to as babes in Christ, which means we’re brand new Christians.

We’re just learning things as we go, and some new Christians may act childish.

They may want their way.

They may whine.

They may not want to serve.

There are things that happen, but God expects a growth.

The verse says, When I was, so just that little three-word section says.

There is change that is expected, but when I was a child, this is the actions that I took.

I spoke and I thought and I reasoned as a child.

That is super common, and that is not to be unexpected.

And as more mature Christians interact with those who have just become Christians, we have to be patient with them just as we were with our own little children that God gave us.

But as with our own children, there’s an expectation of growth.

There’s an expectation of maturity.

There’s an expectation of change, and that is why the verse says, When I grew up.

So that’s the expectation.

And what’s the action?

I put away childish things.

So when someone who claims to be mature in Christ is still acting as a child, then we know there’s growth that needs to come.

And that’s true for all of us.

And the cool thing is that God gives us the time, the ability, and the necessary tools to grow up.

Until next week, this is Joel from the I’m Talking Microcast.