A friend asked me the other day about spiritual growth: “Do you reach a point where you say, ‘Great! I’ve made it.'” Answer, no. I know of no athlete or musician, for example, who isn’t always working to be a little bit better.

Growth is what happens when we practice the appropriate disciplines over time. And growth is always appropriate to where we are at the time. For example, acceptable, even exemplary behavior for a 3-year-old might be inappropriate for a 10-year-old. But that doesn’t stop us from being proud of our 3-year-olds.

My recovery from knee surgery is a good example. I can’t “will” it to have the strength and range of motion that I want. But I can do what I’m supposed to do today, and I see improvement nearly every day. For example, when riding my stationary bicycle, at first I just had to put the surgical leg out of the way so I could exercise the rest of me. But later, with the seat raised two inches higher than normal, I gradually could go all the around with the surgical leg, slowly. Then a bit faster. Then a bit easier. Then with the seat only one inch higher than normal, etc. It’s encouraging to see the incremental improvement.

There’s no reason we can’t experience incremental growth in our spiritual lives as well. My friend Ron Bennett likes to tell the story of the first time he changed the oil in his cars without getting angry about something. It’s transformation, day by day, step by step.

And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. (Mark 4.26 – 28, ESV)

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 3.18, NKJV)

In encouraging people to apply scripture, not just listen to it, I used to say, “No points for hearing only.” One day, a fellow corrected me. 

It’s not “no points” for hearing only, it’s “negative points” for hearing only.

He’s right. Jesus is clear:

So pay careful attention to your hearts as you hear my teaching, for to those who have open hearts, even more revelation will be given to them until it overflows. And for those who do not listen with open hearts, what little light they imagine to have will be taken away.” (Luke 8.19, Passion Translation)

As we move into September and yet another month of COVID restrictions and fears, this blog from Heather Holleman is too good not to pass on. She lists five things that we haven’t lost due to COVID-19:

• Supernatural peace: “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.” (2 Thessalonians 3.16)
• Love: “God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” (Romans 5.5)
• Purpose: For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2.10)
• The ability to worship. She cites Romans 12.1: Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. And I have written that worship has nothing to do with whether or not we can gather in a church building. There are alternatives.
• Growth. Heather writes, “We haven’t lost our ability to learn and grow and mature. We haven’t lost our ability to self-reflect, listen to the Holy Spirit, read the Bible, and pray.” – Heather Holleman, August 30, 2020

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Peter 1.6, 7, NIV)

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1.2 – 4, NIV)

I wrote yesterday that religion alone isn’t enough to guarantee good behavior. Religious people go to church and sometimes hear the Word preached, but even Jesus said that wasn’t necessarily enough:

The seed that falls into the weeds represents the hearts of those who hear the word of God but their growth is quickly choked off by their own anxious cares, the riches of this world, and the fleeting pleasures of this life. This is why they never become mature and fruitful. The seed that fell into good, fertile soil represents those lovers of truth who hear it deep within their hearts. They respond by clinging to the word, keeping it dear as they endure all things in faith. This is the seed that will one day bear much fruit in their lives. (Luke 8.14, 15, Passion Translation)

There’s a difference between those who bear fruit and those who don’t. Both hear the word. But in one case, the word is choked by anxious cares, riches of the world, and the fleeting pleasures of this life. The other group responds to the word. It is, as I wrote last week, the difference between “showing up” and actual engagement.

Now that you’ve cleaned up your lives by following the truth, love one another as if your lives depended on it. Your new life is not like your old life. Your old birth came from mortal sperm; your new birth comes from God’s living Word. Just think: a life conceived by God himself! (1 Peter 1.22, 23, MSG)

A friend sent an excellent 98-second video from a Harvard Business School professor about what makes “democracy” in general and America in particular work. He closes with this line:

If you take away religion you can’t hire enough police.

There’s certainly truth in it, having to do with the concept that people need to police themselves, to be self-controlled voluntarily, and that dedication to a religion helps.

The problem is that religion in and of itself doesn’t always contribute to a civil and just society. Just yesterday, Doug Nuenke, President of The Navigators, wrote to staff reminding us that our faith must result in proper action:

Is our belief in God’s reign matched with faithful action to bring God’s justice to Earth?

This was the primary conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders of His time (see Mark 7:6-13). He rebuked the Pharisees for religious tradition that was empty of Kingdom action.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others (Matthew 23:23 ESV).

Jesus also spoke to the callousness of the Pharisees and Sadducees in the parable of the Good Samaritan (see Luke 10:25-37). This story of religious leaders who bypassed practical acts of mercy portrayed what empty religion looks like. – Doug Nuenke, August 31, 2020 (emphasis his)

“Religion” motivated the 9/11 terrorists. “Religion” in India is resulting in increased persecution of Christians by the Hindu majority. And, yes, most of the white people who enslaved black people in this country and continued persecuting them even after the Civil War were in churches on any given Sunday.

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. (James 1.27, ESV)

Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. (1 Peter 2.13 – 16, ESV)

I confess. I read the comics every day. There’s not always something profound in them, especially not “Pearls before Swine,” but Stephan Pastis wrote a winner, published August 30, 2020.

Here’s the text:

Rat’s question for the guru: How do we rid ourselves of the pandemic that plagues us?

The guru’s answer:

• We must all read more. Not your Facebook news feed but good books that inform and enlighten.
• And pay for local journalism because if you don’t, it’ll go away.
• And strive to be informed, actually informed, instead of only seeking information that conforms to your world view.

Rat’s response: And this will end COVID-19?

The guru’s clarification: I thought we were talking about stupidity.

Rat’s conclusion: Apparently there’s more than one plague.

So many applications. For example, I am working through several books to try to better understand racial issues. I’m finding this book very disturbing: The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism by Jemar Tisby. Disturbing because of the decisions made within various churches and denominations as well as silence in the face of atrocities committed against black people. It’s definitely a book that enlightens, informs, and is outside the way I used to see the world.

A more general application is, am I teachable? Jesus spoke to this.

You have been given a teachable heart to perceive the secret, hidden mysteries of God’s kingdom realm. But to those who don’t have a listening heart, my words are merely stories. Even though they have eyes, they are blind to the true meaning of what I say, and even though they listen, they won’t receive full revelation. (Luke 8.10, Passion Translation)

God calls us to not be stupid.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge… (Hosea 4.6, ESV)

“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord GOD, “when I will send a famine on the land—not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD. (Amos 8.11, ESV)

If you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. (Proverbs 2.1 – 5, ESV)

Sometimes we gloss over the decisions of everyday people as we look at the more spectacular life of Jesus. But a conversation with a friend on his difficulty finding time for both exercise and time with God was in the back of my mind as I read this short paragraph:

Soon afterward, Jesus began a ministry tour throughout the country, visiting cities and villages to announce the wonderful news of God’s kingdom realm. His twelve disciples traveled with him and also a number of women…Among the women were Susanna and Joanna, the wife of Chusa, who managed King Herod’s household. Many other women who supported Jesus’ ministry from their own personal finances also traveled with him. (Luke 8.1 – 3, Passion Translation)

“His twelve disciples traveled with him and also a number of women…” In order to travel with Jesus, one has to not do something else. To use one’s money to support Jesus’ ministry is not to use the money for something else. (This isn’t rocket science.) 

Life is filled with choices. Some of these women were wealthy and could have spent their time doing what wealthy women did in those days, probably sitting around being waited on. Instead, they’re on the road with Jesus with no Hilton or Marriott hotels waiting at the end of the day! 

I don’t know the solution for my friend. Dick Schultz, former president of the US Olympic Committee, former head of the NCAA, had a daily routine that included one hour of exercise and one hour time with God. Since he needed an hour to get ready for the day, he got out of bed three hours before his first meeting! That was Dick Schultz’ solution. Of course, if his first meeting was at 7, he had to get up at 4. That would mean he couldn’t stay up late to watch, say, a game on television.

I know of no way around sacrificial choices to do what’s important. 

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. (Luke 9.23, 24, NIV)

Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice? …Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her. (Proverbs 8.1, 10, 11, NIV)

The story of Jesus having dinner with Simon the Pharisee (Luke 7.36 – 50) speaks to the difference between religious people and Jesus, and it’s a bit scary. Simon thinks he’s following God. Actually, he probably thinks he’s doing God a favor by being so separated, so holy. And in the process, he completely misses what God is about. 

In the neighborhood there was an immoral woman of the streets, known to all to be a prostitute… [She] knelt at the feet of Jesus in front of all the guests. Broken and weeping, she covered his feet with the tears that fell from her face. She kept crying and drying his feet with her long hair. Over and over she kissed Jesus’ feet… When Simon saw what was happening, he thought, “This man can’t be a true prophet. If he were really a prophet, he would know what kind of sinful woman is touching him.” (Luke 7.37 – 39, Passion Translation)

But Jesus is demonstrating what God is really like. 

Then Jesus said to the woman at his feet, “All your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 7.48, Passion Translation) 

Jesus mixes with “sinners,” lets them know their sins are forgiven, and tells them they are free to start fresh. 

Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith in me has given you life. Now you may leave and walk in the ways of peace.” (Luke 7.50, Passion Translation)

I was struck yesterday by Jesus’ description of John the Baptist:

After John’s messengers departed, Jesus spoke about John to the audience crowded around him, saying, “What kind of man did you expect to see out in the wilderness? Did you expect to see a man who would be easily influenced and shaken by the shifting opinions of others? Who did you really go there to see? Did you expect to see a man decked out in the splendid fashion of the day? They are the ones who live in the lap of luxury, embracing the values of this world. Or did you discover a true prophet out in the lonely wilderness? Yes, John was a legitimate prophet. Even more than that, he was the fulfillment of this Scripture: ‘See, I am sending my prophetic messenger who will go ahead of me and prepare hearts to receive me.’ Luke 7:24-27 (The Passion Translation)

I understand that John was a prophet, not a leader, but it’s hard not to contrast this description of John with that of political leaders today. What John wasn’t, many “leaders” are:

• Easily influenced and shaken by the shifting opinions of others
• Decked out in the splendid fashion of the day
• Living in the lap of luxury
• Embracing the values of this world

Downtown Beirut blew up because “leaders” failed to move 2,700 tons of ammonium nitrate, an explosive, from the downtown area, even though they had six years to do so. Where are leaders who can lead? Who know how to do something besides run for office? (I don’t want to get into a political discussion here – I’m talking about both parties in the U.S.)

It’s a matter for prayer:

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. (1 Timothy 2.1, 2, NIV)

Seth Godin, who has written eloquently and at length about how education might be improved, wrote a blog this week reminding us that there’s a difference between education and learning. Here’s a snippet:

Education is the hustle for a credential. It exchanges compliance for certification. An institution can educate you. Learning can’t be done to you. It is a choice and it requires active participation, not simple adherence to metrics. Seth Godin, August 24, 2020 (emphasis mine)

It’s a great point, in and of itself, and I’ll confess that I’ve taken A LOT of education courses purely for the credential. But the point I want to make today is, I think we can apply the same “credential” attitude to our spiritual disciplines. For example:

• Do we attend church just to “check the box” that we were there or to engage in worship and actually try to learn and apply truth from the sermon?
• Is our daily time with God another box to check or are we actively listening to hear what God is saying to us?
• Do we say the Lord’s prayer or pray it?

As for you, son of man, your people are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, “Come and hear the message that has come from the LORD.” My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice. Their mouths speak of love, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice. (Ezekiel 33.30 – 32, ESV)

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1.22, NIV)