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Growth
(Youth Day)

The biggest difference between youth and old age is that the youth are still growing. But the Scriptures say all of us must grow. Peter said, “Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ” (II Peter 3:18).

This growth includes: increase and development. Are you experiencing these in your life? Are you improving or are you stuck? Do you steadily move ahead or do you seem to take one step forward and two steps back? Well, many of us have trouble with growth because growth is change.

An old legend says God gave every creature three choices. One said, “I want a safe home underneath the ground, and I’d like to have a thick, furry coat to keep me warm in the winter, and I would like to have some sharp front teeth so I can chew on the grasses.” And God said, “That’s fine, go and be a woodchuck.”

Then, the next little embryo came up and said, “God, what I like is the water, I’d like to have a flexible body so I can swim around in it. I’d also like to breathe underwater with gills, and I’d like a system that will keep me warm no matter what the temperature.”

And God, said, “That’s fine, go be a fish.”

So, it went through all the little embryos until there was just one left. God had to motion it forward and ask, “Now, last little embryo, what three things would you like?” And it said, “I was wondering, if it was all right with you, if I could stay an embryo until I’m smart enough to know the three things I really want . . .”

And God smiled and said, “Ah, you are human. And because you have chosen to remain a creature with growth potential, I will give you domination over all of the other creatures.”

The point is that once we are set into a certain fixed pattern we are stuck. Woodchucks can’t become more. Fish can’t become more. But we can!

Of course, most of us throw our potential away. As we get older, we become set in our ways, we become less and less interested in new ideas, and more and more convinced of the rightness of our own opinions.” Under these conditions, no growth occurs and when we stop growing we start dying.

Every baby is born to grow. It’s natural! It’s inevitable. If we live, we grow. God created man in his image. He breathed his own life into each individual. He made us for happiness and achievement and a thousand good things. He gave each one of us an individual, stamp. No two are alike. Each one of us is a custom-built, one-of-a-kind model. Each one is equipped for a lifetime of growth.

One writer described a picture of a young thoroughbred colt. At only a few days old he is mostly knobby knees and long, spindly legs. Despite the fact that he is still awkward, barely able to stand and walk, it’s obvious that he is a thoroughbred, and a racehorse. Already visible in his skinny frame are the signs of the champion he will one day become. The painting has a simple title that says it all: Born to run.

We are like that colt. We are born to run! We’re built for achievement! We’re designed for success! It is a part of our heritage and our birthright!

Growth is essential. When Peter said, “Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ . . .” (II Peter 3:18), he is looking forward to perfection and holding up the standard for righteousness.

Some people grow naturally like a plant. Others must be made to grow. Jesus, for instance seemed to grow in a steady, balanced manner. Luke said, “And the Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon him. And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Luke 2:40,52).

On the other hand, many old and new testament characters were forced to grow by events in their lives. Circumstances can be powerful motivators. Jacob was a selfish deceiver until his encounter with the angel at the brook Jabbok. Joseph was a boastful teenager until he was sold into Egyptian slavery by his brothers. Paul was an unfeeling persecutor until his experience on the road to Damascus. In short, they didn’t grow as long as they were comfortable the way they were. They stayed the same until something jarred them loose. If “necessity is the mother of invention”; Then “pain may be the father of growth.”

Even so, growth is essential for Christians. Peter said, “Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ” (II Peter 3:18).

How can we do this?

I. FIRST WE MUST QUIT COMPARING OURSELVES TO OTHERS.

This is one of the most common excuses for not growing. As long as I’m better than my neighbor then I’m okay. As long as I’m as good as my co-workers, I’m fine. As long as I can measure myself by other sinful creatures, I feel self-righteous. That’s why grading on the curve encourages every student to “dumb down.”

A passage from John Steinbeck’s novel The Wayward Bus, says, “One night a week he played poker with men so exactly like himself that the game was fairly even, and from this fact his group was convinced that they were all very fine poker players . . .” Theirs was a conspiracy of mediocrity.

That’s not our purpose. God made us to stretch. He didn’t intend for you to maintain your present shape. It is when you are stretching that you are living up to your own promise. It is only by stretching that you become better. So quit comparing yourself to others.

II. NEXT, WE MUST QUIT DEFENDING OUR PRESENT POSITION.

Remember, during your growing-up years, how your mother had a specially designated wall with some pencil marks on it. Then, as you grew from year to year, she marked where your head reached? One writer said, “We have such a wall in our home. It’s interesting to see how our children go through certain growth spurts at times. On one occasion, my little daughter posed a disturbing and thought provoking question. When I came back from a trip she asked, “Daddy, how much did you grow while you were away?”

Think about it. How much have you grown this year? How much have you grown since last Sunday? What is Christian growth?

It’s being willing to perceive a situation differently. It’s taking the ultimate responsibility for our thoughts. It’s handling confrontations productively.

In fact, any situation that pushes our buttons is a situation that we don’t yet have the capacity to handle. Angry reactions, defensive replies, irrational fears, selfish attitudes all reveal a level of immaturity. Everyone of us has room to grow. Quit defending your present position.

III. FINALLY, WE MUST BE WILLING TO CHANGE.

Growth means inviting elements into our lives that will force us to move and make progress.

Change is hard because our lives often seem to get worse rather than better when we begin to work on our problems. Of course, life doesn’t actually get worse; it’s just that we feel our own weaknesses more because we are no longer in denial. We’re starting to see the truth about the games we play.

This process can be so painful that we are tempted to go backwards. It takes courage to endure the misery of self-discovery. These growing pains are real; but as you follow through on the best you can see at this moment, your sincerity, dedication and obedience will open the way to further spiritual understanding.

If this sounds impossible, let’s consider Jesus’ parable of the tiny mustard seed. Suppose it had said to Mother Nature, “You’re asking me to perform the impossible; I can never become a great tree. I’ll just stay here on the soft dirt where I was dropped.” Instead, it was suddenly caught up with a spadeful of earth, and buried, it seemed, a mile deep. There it lay in darkness and neglect. After some days, a tiny green shoot appeared above the ground, and looked up to where the great parent-tree was growing; it whispered softly to itself, ‘Perhaps I shall be able to do it after all.’ ‘Perhaps I shall become a great tree in which the birds may shelter.’ I know I said it was impossible; but then I had no idea that Mother Nature would work in me as she has done! With her help, there is nothing that I cannot do!”

It’s the same with us. We can grow. We must grow. That’s our mission. That’s our purpose. Peter said, “Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ” (II Peter 3:18).

Remember, “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength” (Phil. 4:13).
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(WC1491)

This issue of NEW PERSPECTIVES is from an unpublished manuscript © copyrighted 2008 by Miles and Maralene Wesner, Idabel, OK. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO USE THEM IN ANY WAY YOU THINK IS APPROPRIATE. The only thing we ask is that you give credit for original material in PUBLISHED works.

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