Sunday, April 26, 2009

Maturing rather than just getting older

These words (and others similar) seem to keep popping up in conversations, classes, and articles recently:

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall. 2 Peter 1:5-10

We've cut back on announcing birthdays in our assemblies at Memorial Drive, but we are still happy to announce anniversaries.

Why the difference, you ask?

It is much more encouraging to hear of and celebrate with a couple who is an example of faithfulness and committment than to merely applaud someone for managing to stay alive one more year on this earth.

After all, if we don't die, in 365 days we're all going to get a year older. You can't stop time.

The question is, will we be more mature in Christ in 365 days than we are now?

Will we be more loving? More kind? More godly? More able to endure? Will we be more disciplined in our words and our actions? Will we have learned more about God? Will our faith be stronger?

Those things are indeed worth celebrating.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great thoughts.

Growing is something missed in many places IMO.

Doug Young said...

Wonderful thoughts Shane!

Brenda said...

When I think about it, at home we hardly ever celebrate the adult birthdays. For us, it's just another year.
I like this practice we've taken on at Memorial. The way you put it is a perspective that I hadn't thought of.
We should be able to celebrate our maturing in Christ everyday of the year! Wow! Imagine how busy we would keep the bakeries with cakes!!! :o) Imagine the candles! ;o)
I love to hear the anniversaries! Weather it is 1 year or 100 years. These days, every year in marriage is worth celebrating. And if you are living as it says in 2 Peter, those will be some of the best years of your lives!
Good stuff Shane!