“Maturity in grace makes us willing to part with worldly goods; the green apple needs a sharp twist to separate it from the bough; but the ripe fruit parts readily from the wood. Maturity in grace makes it easier to part with life itself; the unripe pear is scarcely beaten down with much labor, while its mellow companion drops readily into the hand without the slightest shake. Rest assured that love to the things of this life, and cleaving to this present state, are sure indications of immaturity in the divine life.”
Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892), British Baptist “Prince of Preachers” as recounted in New Cyclopedia of Prose Illustrations ed. Elon Foster (New York: Thomas Crowell, 1877) 406.
If you are looking for aid in growing in maturity in the divine life, try Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening Daily Readings. It’s a devotional classic, which you can download freely in PDF or app form for your own daily office.