My first (and last!) post was in the early stages of my journey into motherhood. I chuckle. So much time has passed since my little one was an infant. Now a full-blown toddler, she is growing (and walking) faster than I ever imagined.

I’m always reminded to look at the spiritual realities unveiled by things in the physical realm. When I see children (including my own) grow by leaps and bounds, I’m challenged to ask myself, “Have I grown as much as they have?”

But how do I know if I am growing? And if I don’t have the right standard for measuring growth, how will I know if I have progressed?

But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift…And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

Food for thought:
– Are you using the gift(s) God gave you to build up your local church? If not, what’s hindering you? What can you do to remove the impediment?

– Is your use of your gift(s) furthering or hampering the unity of the body of Christ? How? If you are operating in disunity, how can you change directions?

– Are people growing in their knowledge of Jesus as a result of your presence in the body? If not, what steps can you take to be a growth agent in the lives of others?

– Are people encouraged to become more Christlike as a result of their interaction with you? Why or why not? What can you do to encourage Christlikeness in yourself so that someone else can encounter it in you?

Please comment and share. I would love to hear from you!