“BUT GROW IN the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18). This is usually quoted, “But grow in grace and knowledge,” and then religious education taking that as its text begins to impart religious education in general. Then it becomes a swamp instead of a river. The difference between a swamp and a river is that a river has banks—it confines itself to objectives—a swamp has no banks; it spreads over everything. This verse has banks: “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” The growth was not growth in general, but growth in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. Cancer growth is growth, but a growth toward death. Growth in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ is growth in life, and this life becomes Life itself.
How do we grow? The usual answer is by taking in food, air, and exercise; food—assimilating the Word of God; air—breathing in the good and breathing out the bad; exercise—sharing with others. It might be put in another way: growth depends on (1) assimilation, (2) elimination, and (3) dissemination.
First, assimilation—you assimilate through the reading of the Word of God and prayer. Cut off either one of these and the soul dies. The quiet time with the Bible and prayer is a sine qua non of spiritual growth. The diabolical strategy is to cut off the food supply and then sit back and watch the soul die. Second, elimination—life depends almost as much on elimination as upon assimilation. When the body can no longer eliminate it dies. When the soul is no longer pruning fruitless branches, it too becomes fruitless. Third, dissemination—if a tree doesn’t produce its kind, it will die and the species will die with it. The Christian must produce Christians or not remain Christian. We grow as we sow.
Dear Father, Thou dost give seed to the sower—and to no one else. If we do not sow what Thou dost give, Thou dost withhold the giving. Let me be a sower, going forth today to sow beside all waters. In Jesus’ dear name. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: These three things in full operation in me today—assimilation, elimination, dissemination—then I will grow.
