How many sizes can a kid go through in a season? At the beginning of the summer, when their little t-shirts swallow them up and their flip flops are flip flopping everywhere but securely on their feet, we think, “That’s OK, they have room to grow.” By the end of summer though, when the t-shirt is now a midriff and their heels are hanging out the back of the flip flops, I marvel at their growth. How did that happen so quickly, and can we just slow down?! But it won’t. Because we’re created to grow.
OK, maybe I’m exaggerating. I didn’t let the t-shirt become a midriff before I noticed it was too small, but you catch my drift, right? Kids grow. Like weeds. And what about weeds? Weeds grow….particularly in my garden. If I’m not attentive to it, I’ll have weeds as big as my pepper plants and among my crisp delicious cucumbers that will choke them out. That would be a travesty of massive proportions.
What is the point, Miss Obvious? Growth. It is the nature of things to grow. Not only physically, but in other aspects. We grow in intelligence, we grow in maturity, and faith. At least, we’re supposed to.
“So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” 1 Corinthians 1:37
Time to do a self-check! Are you growing? Let me rephrase the question to be sure the self-examination is properly refined. Are you growing in the way God desires for you? I don’t mean in clothing size or grey hair, though that happens too, unfortunately. I mean, if you examine yourself, really, truly look at your life, are you growing spiritually?
You see, if you can’t find a place in your life where God is growing you, in your relationship with Him, in your Christ-like character, in your faith in Him, in your hunger for His word, you are sitting stagnant. You may think that stagnant means sitting still rather than growth, but even in stagnant water, bacteria grows. Something is always growing.
“They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.” Colossians 2:19
When you’re not growing in the direction God means for you, you’re still growing. You’re just growing away from God instead of toward Him. Like a sunflower meant to reach toward the sun’s rays, you’re meant to grow into the image of the Son. If you aren’t, you are sagging toward the soil, turning away from the sun. You’re shrinking away from His direction. Every day that you’re not taking a step forward, you’re slipping backward. Every day that you choose not to take that step of faith and to not allow Him to stretch you for growth, you’re growing in complacency and hesitation, fear and disobedience. Those things are weeds that eventually choke out your growth in Him.
“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” Ephesians 4:15
So as the school year starts up again, and you send your growing children off to grow in intelligence and knowledge, how are you going to help them grow in Him? This continual, lifelong growth is not only for them. What about your growth? How are you going to grow with God today? Next week? Next month? How are you going to allow Jesus to change and grow you and your children into His image this year?
A few words about growth…growth is not a competitive race to be sprinted and compared. It’s a marathon and everyone’s training will be different. While we’re all to be growing toward the person of Jesus, our growth rates and patterns won’t always be the same. If you aren’t sure how or where you’re to be growing, the only person who can tell you is the Lord. Spend time in His presence, with His word, creating a relationship with His Son. You, and your children, can’t help but grow there.
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18
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