Motion And Progress

The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

Psalm 92:12

Most plants grown by gardeners change imperceptibly day by day. Check a plant one day, and you’ll see little difference from the day before. But such is not the case with various species of bamboo. Bamboo is actually a type of grass and is said to be the fastest-growing plant in the world. Some bamboo shoots have been known to grow two feet or more in a twenty-four-hour period.

Some new Christians think they should grow as quickly as bamboo. In other words, they wonder why change is taking so long. Those believers are hungry to put off the old self and put on the new (Ephesians 4:22-24, NIV). Sadly, other Christians don’t seem to worry about growth at all. For them, Christianity is more about a ticket to heaven than about life change on earth. But the Bible is clear that growth is not an option. Just as we grow physically when we are born physically, we should grow spiritually when we are born again. Every living organism that is healthy will grow. If over time there is no noticeable evidence of spiritual growth—recognizable changes in your life—you should be concerned.

Better to be concerned that you’re not growing fast enough than to have others be concerned that you’re not growing at all.

Some people’s religion reminds me of a rocking horse, which has motion without progress.

ROWLAND HILL