Growth

"For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me. And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure." (2Corinthians 12:6-7 NKJ)

Age happens to all of us. In fact, there are only two alternatives in life. We can grow old or die young. I'd rather get old. Some people age gracefully, some get grouchy and become ill-tempered. We should examine our aging factor. It will keep us from becoming an old fool.

Age doesn't merely make one short-tempered and irritable. Hypercritical and cranky doesn't have to be the marks of growing older. Instead, we might examine whether we are exhibiting behaviors that have always been with us.

It might be well to not boast of our age and experience, but speak the truth to ourselves about ourselves before God. This would enable others to see the real person we are and not get a false impression of us. False impressions can be detrimental to our witness and our work. What people think about us and what they see and hear from us should be cohesive and authentic.

Theologian and scholar C. S. Lewis wrote, "Every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different from what it was before." We can choose to grow sweeter, kinder, gentler, loving and so forth, asking for humility and the fruit of the Spirit. Or we can ignore our growth factor and become old and foolish.

If we recognize that the "thorn" of age is given to us to keep us humble and dependent upon the Lord, we might join the Apostle and take pleasure in our weakness. At the least the power of Christ would rest on us. As the power of Christ works in us, we grow in grace and peace and love and kindness and longsuffering and more of his fruit. The personal issue is: Which way am I growing?

Dear Father, thank you for the seed of Christ you have planted in me. Enable all the fruit of your Spirit to grow in me. I pray this in the name of Jesus. AMEN

Refuse to be a fool today and check your growth factor,