The idea of growth is, of course, Biblical in nature. You’ll remember in John 15 Jesus using the imagery of a vine and pruning and producing fruit. Stretching all the way back to your childhood you may remember the very popular parable of the Sower from Matthew 13. I remember from my first mission trip a repeated reading of 1 Corinthians 3:6 “ I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.” As much as we find references to it in Scriptures (there are plenty more besides the three listed above) we can be certain that growth clearly matters to God.
Does it matter as much to us? Physical growth certainly does. If you’ve had kids, I’ll bet there’s some wall or doorway with little growth marks climbing up the sides over the years. If you go to the gym or exercise regularly, it matters when you improve your time or can lift more weight, more easily. We mark milestones of progress in our education, our anniversaries, our jobs, and just about anything else we can find to show growth. Growth is moving forward and we certainly emphasize that aspect of our lives.
A Christian understands that this is only one aspect of life. Even more important is the spiritual side of our existence. It would be sad if a dusty, Baptism certificate was the only mark of growth we have in that arena. Growth takes effort and a decided direction. It takes involvement that runs deeper than the appearance of religious behavior. It takes devotion. It requires us to value very deeply our progress in our relationship with God. Even as this physical body begins to wither with age and break down, I hope our spiritual growth continues to strengthen and be strong. I hope we value growth as much as God does.
Holly Hill Church of Christ 