AUGUST 2,  1 Peter 2:1-5

“You’re growing really fast!” Mark’s mother stood with tape measure in hand. She had just checked to see how much he had grown since the last time they measured. “Almost two inches,” she announced. “Wow!” Mark was impressed with himself. “Hey, Mom, what makes kids grow?” he asked.

“Well, a healthy diet, good exercise, and plenty of rest are important,” Mom replied. “Of course, it’s really God who gives life and has made our bodies so that they will grow.” “I wish I were as tall as Dad,” said Mark.

“Someday you may be taller,” replied Mom with a smile. “Sometimes kids grow taller than their parents. But if you don’t grow that tall, that’s okay, too.” “William says he hangs by his hands from a bar every day, hoping he’ll get taller,” said Mark. “I say he’ll just get long arms if he does that.”

Mom laughed. “He’ll probably just get sore arms,” she said. “Like I said, how tall you grow isn’t terribly important, and there’s not a whole lot you can do about it anyway.” Mom paused and she patted her son’s arm. “There is one kind of growth that you can do something about, though.”

“What kind is that?” asked Mark eagerly. “It’s your spiritual growth. The food you eat helps you grow physically, and the Bible is like food that helps you grow spiritually,” replied Mom.

“Oh, right.” Mark nodded. “We had a memory verse that called the Bible milk.’” “Yes, that’s in First Peter. It says we should want the milk of the word,’ and like you said, that’s referring to the Bible. Like new born babies we must crave the milk of the Bible and then, we can grow spiritually as we apply what it says to our lives,” Mom explained.

“My Sunday school teacher says a new baby is cute, but if it never grows, there’s something wrong,” said Mark. “He says that’s true of new Christians, too. They should keep growing as the months and years go by.” “That’s right,” agreed Mom.

Thought: Are you a growing Christian?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I know my spiritual growth has perhaps been slower than my physical growth. Teach me to be more focused on my spiritual growth and to believe and trust You more fully as I learn more of the Bible. As I accept and obey the Bible, surely You would use it to help me grow spiritually. This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.