Measuring Chart

The other day I was at the home of a new acquaintance who had a seven-year-old daughter. On the side of the refrigerator was a chart, measuring how much the child had grown each year. The lines were drawn and dated for each year, and denoted the physical growth of the girl.

These charts are familiar in most homes where children reside. They come in a variety of forms, from a simple pencil line on a wall to an elaborate designer chart.

I wonder if God measures our growth. Is there a heavenly measuring stick we must stand against each year to see how much progress we have made? Would it show if we had experienced a real slump in one year, or a growth spurt in another? How does God feel when these things happen?

I know God is thrilled when we are reborn into His spiritual realm through the acceptance of Jesus as our savior, but what about this growth process? Many times new believers are on fire at first and then their enthusiasm dwindles. Sometimes Christians get mad at God and turn their back on Him, constituting a dead standstill in growth. Others seem to grow at a steady pace, keeping their diet of spiritual food, Christian fellowship and prayer time in balance with other demands on their lives.

If I were to chart my spiritual growth, I would like it to show a steady and upward climb, but it doesn't. It would be a very erratic graph. What about your growth chart? Any standstills or declines? We can do nothing about the past, but we can be aware of the direction we are now going in spiritual maturity. It is good to maintain a steady upward climb, till the day we see Jesus face to face, and hear the words, "well done, good and faithful servant."

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Contributed by Marion Smith: noles65@aol.com Comments/Feedback are welcome.