Ephesians 4:15

Jeff Cutts
Jeff Cutts

In my family there is a tradition - 'Family Day' - when the whole family tries to get together for a day of photographs, eating, chatting, and generally being family. This has gone on as long as I can remember, and always without fail as I was growing up all the uncles and aunts would pat my head and remark, 'My... haven't you grown!'

Have you ever been apart from someone for a long time, keeping a picture of them in your head as they were when you last saw them, only to find they have completely changed when you see them again? A friend of mine in Australia recently sent some picture postcards of Australian wildlife to the children of some of her friends she had not seen for years. On the back of each she had written a note to the young children explaining, 'this is a kangaroo, we have a lot of these in Australia...' or something similar. Rather embarrassingly for her she had a note written back thanking her for the cards, but the young children were now 15 and 16 years old, no longer 5 and 6!

In Ephesians 4:15 we read about 'growing up in all things in Jesus Christ'.

Just as we grow up naturally we are to grow up spiritually too. Wouldn't it be weird if your friends never grew up? - or each year you saw your cousin she was just the same as the year before and never changed? In the same way not growing spiritually would be wrong.

Sometimes we may not realise how much we change, but I guarantee you that as you grow up in God people will see the change in you for good. There are of course some things you can do to help your growth...

How do we grow? Naturally we eat and exercise. The same goes for our spiritual growth - eat and exercise! Eating from the word of God - what He has to say to us, and exercising by obeying it and allowing it to influence our lives.

Read a little of the word of God each day, and do what it says to you - this is the simplest way to grow in God, that's why Christians are always encouraging each other to read the Bible. Yes it is simple, but it is God's plan for you to grow in Him daily.

Listen for God proudly reaching out to you and saying, 'My... How you have grown' CR

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.