Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 1:3-11
We are called to live lives of faithfulness as followers of Christ, but what does this look like exactly? The author of 2 Peter breaks down seven qualities of a faithful Christian. Although we will inevitably fall short in our efforts to attain these and live them out in our lives, the author insists on the importance of trying, not only for our own sake, but so that our lives might reflect the loving grace of the God and the compassionate love of His Son Jesus. It is this love that people are hungry for, and by showing this love through our faithful living, we will transform the world and help others connect with God. This passage from 2 Peter is a tough kind of scripture for me to read and fully embrace because it contains both grace and accountability. I love grace, but I tend to shy away from things that hold me accountable because I don’t like the feeling of not measuring up. I’m not sure I know of anyone who appreciates being told that they are not doing a good enough job, especially when it comes to how we live our lives and live out our faith. However, I sense that the message here is not only about holding up a measuring stick, but a reminder of our underlying motivation for trying to do better with how we live out our lives faithfully. The part that stands out to me in this passage is the list of qualities the author names in verses 5-7: “…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; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.” There are some very interesting things to discuss about the items in that list and their significance, but my mind at first notices there is a list, and my type-A personality wants to make sure I have all the items checked off and accounted for. This is not an easy task, though! Thankfully God promises grace to us in our efforts. Even though we will fall short, the author is saying it’s still important that we try to acquire and live out these traits, so first things first… The order of the qualities seems important, so if I start at the beginning, I know that I have faith – check! Then the author says I should add “goodness” to that, which some theologians also describe as virtue, justice, or the strength and courage to stand up for what’s right in God’s eyes. Does that kind of goodness show up in my life? Well, sometimes. I know I recognize God’s goodness (or the need for it) in situations in life, but I need to be more consistent in doing my part to help make that goodness a reality and stand up for it when I have that opportunity. So…half-check? Next is knowledge – great! I love knowledge! Learning about God, scripture, Christian teaching and practice is something I really enjoy and spend time doing. Big check here! But wait, then there’s self-control… This one I get stuck on big time! All of that wonderful knowledge of God’s desires and commands for me as a follower of Christ is comforting and helpful, but it also means my heart, my mind, my words, and my actions should reflect those things. I know that becoming familiar with God’s Word is life-changing, but I’m a work in progress when it comes to letting it change my life. One of the areas in my life I’ve had to confront and try to allow God to change is my temper. I often rush to anger as a first reaction in situations, and it’s taken me a lot of prayer, experience, apologies, and a little therapy to realize what other emotions I’m feeling underneath the anger. Needless to say, this has made self-control very hard for me at times. On the positive side, I have noticed lately that in challenging real life situations that test my self-control, I now immediately have helpful Bible verses come to mind that keep my temper more in check, as well as the thought of “how does my response to this reflect that I am an imperfect person who has been made whole by God’s loving grace?” (Not that I have that whole sentence run through my head, but the idea is there!) Being more active in Bible studies and at my church has really helped me out with this! That has made such a huge difference for me compared to when I wasn’t actively involved with scripture regularly and those verses and thoughts did not come to mind until long after the situation had passed, or not at all. Without those reminders of my faith and identity as a follower of Christ, I am typically much more impatient and self-centered, which means my reactions to challenging situations involve getting frustrated or defensive with people. With those reminders, I am able to have more self-control and respond with less anger. This is not just about checking off “self-control” on the list – it gives me more peace internally to remember those verses that tell me God is much bigger than my situation and is looking out for me. When I have that peace, it comforts me, but it also frees me up to be more patient, kind and loving to others because I can compassionately relate to their perspective and needs without worrying so much about myself. I no longer live at the mercy of my stress and emotions. That is freedom! Do I do all of this in a perfectly loving, gentle, Christ-like way? No, there is still room for improvement there. But my faith has grown enough at this point to allow me to have some self-control and not erupt with anger as my fist response. There is so much negativity and hurt in the world already; I do not want to add to it. And I hope to continue to grow in self-control and the other qualities the author mentions so that my encounters with people are not just neutral, but are a way that God can show them His love and compassion through me. If you look at the final quality on the list, it is love—and not just any love, “agape” according to the Greek translation: Christ-like love. As I see it, the ultimate goal of our efforts to acquire and live out these qualities the author writes about is not strictly for our own benefit, or so that we can feel good about ourselves or superior to others. It is so that we know Christ’s deep, abiding, compassionate, “agape” love in our lives and have it overflow into all that we are and all that we do. Then as we go about living, others will experience that wonderful love through us—our words, our actions, how we treat each other, the help we provide, and even the anger we hold in check in order to offer a glimpse of compassion and peace. As we move through Lent, I hope you can take time to reflect on this passage and find ways to grow in these areas of faithfulness, as well as celebrate how you are already growing in others. As the author also writes here, we have the “great and precious promises” from God that He will provide for our needs, help us grow in our faith, and forgive us when we fall short. Let’s encourage each other to continue growing so that we can “receive rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” and help others do the same. How are you growing in the qualities listed in this passage from 2 Peter? Where have you seen things to celebrate in your walk with God, and where might He be calling you to reflect and try again? What are ways that you seek guidance and encouragement as you grow in your faith? I'd love to hear your thoughts - feel free to share in the comments or via the Contact page!
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AuthorRachel is a wife, mom, and follower of Christ. She is active in lay leadership in the United Methodist Church. Archives
October 2017
Categories© Rachel Yochum and Bible Bridge Ministry, 2017. All rights reserved.
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