Keep Growing

The glorious weather we’ve had recently had me outside more than I had been when the weather had turned cold. Our little pepper plant in our raised bed was still going strong, and I just had to check it out and see if it was still producing fruit.

I was surprised to see all these different buds and flowers and peppers in different stages of growth even though the weather had been so cold, and it was time for the plant to go dormant.

And the comparison hit me. The body of Christ is like this plant. In a healthy church there are all levels of growth. Some people are just starting out, budding in their faith, while others are have bloomed and are bearing fruit again and again. We need that kind of variety in our church. It’s a beautiful sign of active faith!

This plant can also represent an individual life. If each bud is a different character of God, we have some that we ‘get’ and we’ve bloomed, produced fruit…while others are still developing.

Some of the things we’re growing in have dead blooms clinging to them as we try to fight through the ornamental stage and grow into making those things actually fruitful.

Wherever you are in your walk with God, keep growing.

When you’re with the body, don’t worry about who is flowering while you are just budding, or who has more fruit than you. It isn’t a competition. We’re here to help support each other as we grow from the same vine- Jesus!

Thank You, God, for growth. Thank you for others who are producing fruit in the body, and help us support one another and work in unity without comparison or competition. May You receive the glory forever.

2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.”

2 Peter 1:4 “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
2Pe 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Colossians 1:9 “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
Col 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Col 1:11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
Col 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Col 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
Col 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”