GROWTH

Years ago, an aged Albert Einstein was invited to a banquet and was seated next to a young woman.  Making conversation, the young lady asked, "What is it exactly that you do, Mr. Einstein?"  "What is your job?"  Einstein replied, "I devote myself completely to the study of physics."  To which the young woman responded in amazement: "Physics!" "At your age!"  "I finished studying physics last year!"

  Some people have a very limited understanding of the concept of growth.  2 Peter 3:18 commands us to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”   It is the duty of every Christian of every age to grow!  We must never think that we've reached the peak of spiritual knowledge and ability and that there is no room for improvement.

  But we must also understand that growth should have a purpose.  There are things in this world that grow just for the sake of growing.  They soak up blessings and use up resources, but they never produce anything useful.  We have names for such things.  We call them "cancer cells" and "weeds."  Growing just to be growing is the philosophy of a cancer cell and the goal of a weed. 

  As we increase in knowledge and ability we should also increase in usefulness.  What good is knowledge if we don't share it and live by it?  What good is talent or ability if it is never used?  In Luke 13:6-9 Jesus spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, 'Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?' But he answered and said to him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down’.”

  The Lord requires more than growth.  He requires fruit!  Are you growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus AND bearing fruit?

--Steve Klein

(This week’s bulletin was submitted by Paul Mills)