Biblical manhood

When I was a child I thought as a child, spoke as a child, but when I became a man I put away childish things. I was just thinking recently about the fact that America is one of a very few countries that does not have a specific right of passage into the role of adult male. Two questions and support of Scripture would be appreciated.
1. When does a child become a man and how?
2. What does it mean to you to put away childish things?
This might help some younger men who feel called to preach or minister but still feel somehow "less" than some of the older men or even their peers. How can they know that they are ready to step up and lead in any capacity if they still see them selves as "boys among men"?

There are two Psalms that describe a godly
man; Psalms 15 and Psalms 112. From reading
of these; here is the way a godly man is
described:

one who fears and honors GOD

one who speaks the truth from his heart

one who practices righteousness

one who is disciplined to deny self,
take up his cross daily and follow
the example of our LORD Jesus

one who is committed to the cause of Christ

one who is surrendered to the Spirit of the
LORD

I have to admit that I have thought about this myself. Still being single I do not have many of the things associated with manhood and adulthood in the American culture. However, your quote from 1 Corinthians 13 is something  I have had some time to reflect on. This chapter deals with the fruit of love in one's life in the midst of a discourse on the use of spiritual gifts. The first paragraph demonstrates the fruitlessness of the gifts used without love and the last paragraph shows the eternal preeminence of love above even faith and hope. Sojourner7 said something very similar to what I am about to say which is that maturity comes when one submits fully to Jesus Christ and walks according to the Holy Spirit. When we submit to the leading of the Spirit, He produces in and through us the Fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5), one part of which is love. 

There is another concept not included in your post that is perhaps more important than that of maturity, which is that of authority. Bearing authority to teach comes first from being called and then from being given the when and what to say by the Holy Spirit. If one does not have the authority of being instructed by the Holy Spirit, they are not walking in love.  Though they may be using their spiritual gifts, it will not bear good fruit. 

I hope this answered your question.  

1. When does a child become a man and how?

You can go back to the first man as a pattern, there are three things a godly man is commissioned to by the Lord...

And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
(Genesis 2:15)

A child becomes a man when he is committed to God honoring labor.

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
(Genesis 2:16-17)

A child becomes a man when he is committed to God's law.

And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
(Genesis 2:18)

A child becomes a man when he is committed to family.

In Christ,

Ron

Thank you for taking the time to post. Good answers from all. The Scripture references are very helpful in my study.