Are You A Productive Christian?
Do you ever wonder you are making a difference? If God is actually using you? Are you a productive follower of Jesus? One of my favorite verses in the Bible was a part of my devotional time today. We actually studied these verses in my Home Team just a few weeks ago. 1 Peter 1:5-8 says,
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Peter is so clear in his explanation: if faith, goodness, knowledge, self control, and these other qualities he mentions, are growing in your life you will actually be productive as a follower of Jesus. What that means is that we have to take time for self reflection. We need to stop and take a moment out of our busy lives and do the hard work of self-evaluation. Often I think we are afraid to evaluate ourselves. At least I am. I want to avoid asking myself the hard questions like, “Am I demonstrating brotherly kindness more frequently in my life?” Or, “Am I able exersicse self-control more effectively?”
I think we can fall into the trap of becoming a lazy Christian and get stuck in routine. We go to church, maybe attend a small group, or serve as an usher or in a kids classroom on Sunday and think, “God and I are on good terms!” I think following Jesus is more than that, and we need to get our act together and be productive Christians. We need to hold ourselves accountable and make sure these qualities are increasing in our lives and be certain we are not maintaining status quo.
Great verses to remember to avoid getting discouraged. I’ve been a Christian for many years, and found it discouraging that I had not led anyone to Christ. When my sister got so sick last year, I was praying and reading the Bible and meditating alot just to keep my grief at bay and keep my head above water. Before she died, I led her to the cross, and I am confident that she’s with God right this very minute!! But had I not added to my ‘godliness’, or my ‘knowledge’ or my ‘selfcontrol’ by tapping into God that often and that intensely, would I have been “productive” that day, sitting by her bedside? I wonder.
(By the way, that would be Second Peter, not first, but who is counting?)