Discussion Jumpstarter
Study leader reference - not a definitive answer
Question 1
The speaker argues that God likely designed humans with an unusually long childhood so we’d have time to learn complex skills; what does that suggest about God’s intentions for maturity, dependence, and the slow process of formation compared to a “quick and efficient” view of growing up?
Another way to ask: If God made humans have a long childhood so we can learn slowly, what does that say about how God wants us to grow up? How does that challenge the idea that growing up should be quick and efficient?
Discussion Jumpstarter
Direct Answer
Based on the speaker’s teaching, God seems to intend maturity to be a slow, formative process that requires dependence, training, and time, not a “quick and efficient” jump to independence. The long childhood suggests God values deep development—skills, worldview, trust, and character—over speed.
- He contrasts animals that can move quickly after birth (giraffes, calves, turtles) with humans who “cannot take care of” themselves and “need quite a bit of help.”
- Humans must learn many uniquely human things: “human language… social skills… reading and writing… worldview, religion, culture, citizenship… an occupation.”
- He notes humans have “one of the longest childhoods” (about 18 years) and couldn’t find many creatures with longer.
- He says this is “probably because… God probably made [it] in order for us to have time to learn all these skills before we were completely mature.”
- He links this long formation to the need for parents, especially fathers, to help develop trust, social skills, and stability.