Growing in Grace
(VBS Blog)
By Michael Whitman
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby,”
1 Peter 2:2.
What does it mean to grow up? Not in the sense of gaining physical years, but to spiritually grow? This question and its answer, through my formative years of being a Christian, always seemed to be allusive. It was as if this pertinent question would always overtake me and never allow me to witness what God could do.
The answer to this question took me around and around life’s hardest corners, not because the answer was so far out of reach, but because I did not accept it when it was placed before me. I went years and years relying on a weak testimony of faith that almost killed me many times. It was not until I “grew up” that the answer so vividly smacked me across the heart.
You may wonder what does this have to do with VBS? The answer I sought laid right before me when I was in VBS. It was the answer that Jesus saves. He saves the least of us to the most least of us, for we are all unworthy of His acceptance. Think about that. What if we who participate in a VBS program had the love of God flowing through us in such a manner that it was all we could do to proclaim the gospel to those children who were placed in front of us? As if it was life or death for those children. Well, it is.
Think of your life for a minute. I have to think of mine as well. Am I still feasting on baby food, or have I grown in the grace and admonition of God? Are we as fellow believers doing what only we can do? Or are we doing what God can do?
I mean nothing harsh in this approach, but are we only newborn babes in the ministry of God, or are we growing to full adulthood in knowing what our almighty God can do? For those of us who have or will participate in VBS, those children need us! You may be the only thing that lies between them and a devil’s hell. We may be their only hope to see Jesus one day.
Being a babe in Christ is an easy situation to be in. Not much diligence is required. When an individual does not grow in Christ, his or her life will show it. They
will lack understanding of Scripture and biblical concepts. If they were a seasoned veteran of sin, such as having perhaps an addiction, the individual may return to their sickness frequently. Being a babe in Christ has its limitations. The Spirit will diminish, and the flesh will strengthen. One who stays a newborn Christian will not have the abilities to effectively flee from the presence of evil. Their experience will not be sufficient.
A newborn babe in Christ does not equate young in years. The growth is spiritual. It could be one who has been saved for decades but never had by someone who loved God enough to disciple them. This was me. I never had a seasoned Christian pour into me to that degree. It was years until I was ready to listen and acknowledge God’s calling on my life that He sent someone to love, counsel and bring me further in my faith and love toward God.
I will be forever thankful for those who poured into me. For those who loved me beyond what they could see, and brought me through some of the toughest times of my life. I owe them a multitude of love for how they loved God enough to see through the agony inside me and see what only God could do. This action revealed the true meaning of growing in grace.
Even though this season of VBS programs is over, it does not mean that the season of mentoring and discipleship is over. That never ends and should never diminish. The next time you enter the sacred halls of a God-given chance to mentor someone, be ready to give account of how good our God is and be ready to disciple those individuals. They need it and deserve it because of how Jesus gave His life for us.