Characteristics of Growth – Part 2
Hebrews 5:13 (NIV)
Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness – Hebrews 5:13 (NIV)
Babies who do not increase in weight, size, motor skills, or speech, are labelled as “failing to thrive” and as such, the parents are usually encouraged to improve their nutrition and/or add therapy to their daily activities. In Hebrews 5:12, Paul laments a similar state of believers. He says, “Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the basic principles of God’s revelation again. You need milk, not solid food. (HCSB)
So what do we do if we find ourselves “failing to thrive?” We can improve our nutrition – feed on The Word of God, and add the therapy of exercising our faith – trusting God more, working in His vineyard, and sharing His love with the world. We need more ‘light’ and ‘living’ water. That’s the only way we can become healthy and grow. When we avoid tending to our garden, weeds begin to grow and will soon choke out the life of our plants.
At the day of reckoning, when we meet with Jesus, we want to present him with a flourishing garden (righteousness) grown from our love and devotion to His teaching. Our best course of action is to continuously plant seeds of love and faithfully watch them grow into blessings from God. Let’s develop a worldwide vineyard.
Read: Isaiah 55:1-2; 1 Corinthians 3:2
Bible Reading Guide: Proverbs 11:29-31; Proverbs 12:1-7; John 7:14-44; Judges 14; Judges 15
