Growing Up Spiritually

02The Innocent Yet Irritable Spiritual Baby

What does a spiritual baby actually look like in everyday life? Kenneth E. Hagin provides a fascinating and vivid breakdown of the very first stage of spiritual development, characterizing babyhood by three distinct traits: innocence, ignorance, and irritability. By closely examining these three pillars, we can easily identify the spiritual infants in our own lives, and perhaps more importantly, recognize the lingering infantile traits within ourselves. This phase is beautifully paradoxical; it is filled with a refreshing purity, yet heavily burdened by a complete lack of emotional and spiritual resilience. Let us first dive into the concept of innocence. When a natural baby is brought into the world, there is nothing quite as pure. They have no past, no malice, and no hidden agendas. They are a completely blank slate. Hagin explains that in the spiritual realm, the new birth provides this exact same level of profound innocence. When a person first comes to faith or experiences a true spiritual awakening, their past mistakes, regrets, and burdens are washed away. There is a honeymoon phase of spirituality where everything feels new, vibrant, and clean. This innocence is incredibly attractive and inspiring to older, more mature believers. It reminds the entire community of the simple, unadulterated joy of first discovering truth. However, this beautiful innocence is tightly coupled with the second characteristic: ignorance. A natural baby does not know that a hot stove will burn them, that gravity will cause them to fall off a bed, or how to articulate their complex needs. They are entirely dependent on the wisdom of their guardians. Similarly, a spiritual baby is largely ignorant of how the spiritual world operates. They do not yet understand the deeper principles of faith, the importance of long-term endurance, or the subtle tactics of spiritual adversaries. Because of this ignorance, they can easily stumble into situations that harm them, or they may enthusiastically embrace teachings and ideas that are actually detrimental to their growth. This ignorance is not a sin; it is simply a fact of being newly born. But it heavily dictates how mature individuals must handle them. You would never aggressively scold a six-month-old baby for not knowing how to solve a calculus problem or for dropping a glass on the floor. In the same way, Hagin stresses that mature believers must exhibit extraordinary patience with spiritual babies. When a new believer makes a theological blunder, falls back into an old bad habit, or asks a seemingly foolish question, the mature response is not harsh correction, but gentle, guiding love. They simply do not know any better yet. The third and perhaps most disruptive characteristic of babyhood is irritability. This is where the rubber meets the road in spiritual communities. Natural babies are easily upset. If their milk is too cold, if their diaper is wet, or if they are simply tired, they do not politely ask for assistance; they scream. They demand immediate attention and have zero capacity to consider the feelings or schedules of anyone else in the room. Hagin points out that spiritual babies operate on this exact same wavelength. They are incredibly easy to offend, easily bruised, and entirely self-centered in their spiritual walk. Think about a common scenario in an office, a volunteer group, or a local church. Have you ever encountered someone who completely abandons an organization just because the leader did not greet them at the door, or because someone sat in their preferred seat? They get their feelings hurt over the most trivial, insignificant matters. They expect the pastor, the leader, or their peers to constantly coddle them, visit them, and validate them. If they do not receive constant praise and attention, they throw a spiritual temper tantrum, often gossiping, complaining, or dramatically exiting the community. This extreme irritability and sensitivity is the absolute hallmark of a spiritual infant. Hagin uses this characteristic to hold up a mirror to his readers. How easily are you offended? When someone offers you constructive criticism, do you absorb it and grow, or do you immediately become defensive and angry? When the spotlight is on someone else, do you feel neglected and resentful? If your emotional equilibrium can be completely destroyed by a passing comment or a perceived slight, you are likely still operating in the realm of spiritual babyhood. Spiritual babies are entirely governed by their feelings and external circumstances, rather than being anchored by internal truth and stability. Understanding these three traits—innocence, ignorance, and irritability—completely changes how we interact with others. Instead of becoming furious with a highly sensitive, easily offended colleague or community member, we can quietly recognize, "Ah, they are just a spiritual baby." This realization breeds compassion instead of conflict. It allows leaders to create safe environments where babies can be babies without destroying the fabric of the organization. But for the individual reading the book, Hagin’s message is clear: do not stay here. It is natural to be ignorant and irritable at the beginning, but it is highly unnatural to remain that way. Overcoming babyhood requires a commitment to learning, a deliberate effort to stop taking things so personally, and a shift from asking, "What can this community do for me?" to asking, "How can I begin to contribute?" It is the first massive step away from the crib and toward the sturdy, reliable legs of a growing child.

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