The two great laws of life are growth and death. When things stop growing, they start dying. That is true of vegetation, animals, humans, businesses, churches, and nations.
Growth implies imperfection, that you have not arrived, but it also signifies improvement. Listen to the apostle Paul:
“Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14).
It is a command: “Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord” (1 Peter 2:1-3).
The Thessalonians were growing in their faith and love: “We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater; therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure” (2 Thess. 1:3-4).
Many, many people (maybe most?) who live long lives continue to be intellectually active. You can take some of the dullness out of life by becoming sharper.
Socially – Those who refuse to grow socially are those who lose the warmth of friends and the strength of fellowship. Jesus was friendly and sociable to everyone who would permit Him into their lives. Among the beautiful attributes of the early church is that they “Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart” (Acts 2:46).
Spiritually – As we saw in 1 Peter 2:1, those who don’t grow are hindered from laying aside sinful behaviors. Consider also 2 Peter 1:5-7. If we stop growing, we will stop producing fruit and the harvest is not going to be pretty (John 15:1-6).
Cursed are those who are the living who die in stagnation: Revelation 3:1-3, 14-22.
Isaac Watts was only 5’ tall but when someone teased him about his height, he stated:
Were I so tall to reach the pole,
Or grasp the ocean with my span,
I must be measured by my soul;
The mind’s the standard of the man.
Engage in those spiritual disciplines God has given us to help us to grow spiritually: Love God supremely; serve man sacrificially. Study. Pray. Fellowship. Worship.
Paul Holland
