Am I immature?

Take a look at this picture and then ask yourself this question, “Does age equal maturity?”

I’d say the answer is no, but not because some 33 year old guy is taking a picture with Spiderman.

I like my superheroes, but is that immature or is that just me having fun? At times I feel like a kid trapped in a 33 year old (almost 34) body, and I’ll ask myself if I’m immature or just having fun.

I think I’m just having fun and enjoying life, and that is based on a several month personal case study I’ve been doing in my mind.

I’m not sure where to begin but I’ve witnessed quite a few immature moments the last few months. I’m talking about people my age (plus or minus 5 years) and their immature actions or reactions to different situations.

Let me offer a disclaimer first. I know we all come from different walks and ways of life. We all have different personalities and were raised differently. But I follow the disclaimer with this: They merely explain our actions and reactions, they don’t’ excuse our actions and reactions.

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve been around quite a few immature moments over the last few months by people I would consider peers. I’ve seen twenty somethings and thirty-somethings act more like children, yet they want to be treated as though they are worthy of some sort of respect.

I just came back from a guys’ weekend of baseball and bad food. Now guys usually aren’t too “catty” but we had a couple instances where I was like “Sheesh. Take a tough pill.” When you get 7 guys together, it can be tough to make a decision on what to do. Here’s why. Most of the guys will say “It doesn’t matter to me.”

You know what I mean. Joe says “What do you want to do?”

Most of the guys will reply, “I don’t care” or “Doesn’t matter to me.”

“Want to go down to the pool?”

Most of the guys will reply, “I don’t care” or “Doesn’t matter to me.”

“Do you want to get pizza or hit a burger joint?”

Most of the guys will reply, “I don’t care” or “Doesn’t matter to me.”

“Do you want to eat before, or eat at the game?”

Most of the guys will reply, “I don’t care” or “Doesn’t matter to me.”

Now let me complete the guys weekend setting. We have 2 cars, 6 licensed drivers, we’re ¼ of a mile from the ballpark, the go-karts/ miniature golf course, Wendy’s, and Burger King. Our hotel is just off the freeway. Can you say convenient?

“Do you want to walk or drive?”

Most of the guys will reply, “I don’t care” or “Doesn’t matter to me.”

But sometimes you hear the following:

“I don’t want to.”

“It’s too far.”

“It might rain.”

“Why?”

Hear the whining? Here we are all grown up men, and the wambulance was always right around the corner.

In reality, (and in the case of the guys weekend) you can either 1) Go with the flow, or 2) do your own thing.

Obviously, the chances of there being a problem are much slimmer if you go with the flow. But if you were to choose to do your own thing…..do your own thing. We’re all men. But remember this, by the same measure you give, expect the same back. In other words, if you decided to do your own thing, don’t be offended should someone want to do their own thing.

Now, generally speaking, tell me if you’ve been in situations like the following.

How about the insulting and smack talking guys do when they’re together. What’s the old saying? “If you can’t take it, don’t dish it out.”

One minute a guys is cracking on someone’s mom, and the next minute he’s telling the guy he insulted to shut up.

Huh?

How about the guy we can become that thinks way too highly of himself? He can tell everyone what to do, how to do it, and usually ends a statement with how good they are at something.

He’s the one who usually can’t take someone else’s advice or correction.

Huh?

Though it was still a fun weekend, we lost an opportunity as friends and men of god to become closer friends because we spent a lot of time trying to convince people to do this or that. Most of us would have been fine if someone wanted to do “that” instead of “this”. But in some instances, that wasn’t the case.

Now I’m not ready to say “Why can’t we all just get along?” There will always be conflict in life, but it really isn’t that hard to get along. I think I spent half of my weekend putting out baby fires because someone owed someone money, some didn’t have money, some felt they gave too much, some didn’t like the food choices, some didn’t like being insulted, some didn’t like leaving early, some didn’t like their bed.

And I’m not talking about the 16 year old kid that was with us. He might have been the most mature one on the trip if we’re talking about immaturity.

This guy didn’t make the trip, be we all know who this immature “guy” is. He’s the type of guy what does well and tells you about it. He’s the guy who thumps his chest when he’s winning. He’s the guy that tells you he’s carrying the team. He’s the guy that quits when the going gets tough, or makes excuses. He’s the guy that forgets when he messes up, or blames someone else.

I’m talking about grown men acting like this.

I think the problem lies in self and pride. We don’t get along or should I say won’t get along with people because it means less of self. We might have to do something that someone else wants to do. What’s wrong with that? As long as you’re not choosing to go along with someone’s sin.

The bible talks a lot about pride. We know God doesn’t like it. We know pride comes before a fall. Blah. Blah. Blah. But what we don’t hear that often is that pride breeds fighting.

Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.. (Proverbs 13:10)

There is another famous phase I can reference. That is “There is no “I” in team.” I’ll take that one step further, there is an “I” right in the middle of pride. Pride centers on you, and as long as that is the center, you’ll always have a hard time getting along. And you’ll probably always look immature.