Thursday, January 29, 2004

For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, 6and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, 7and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love.
(2 Peter 1.5-7 NRSV)

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In his most recent book, John Maxwell tells us something quite fascinating about sharks, those fierce leviathans of the deep: sharks only grow as large as their surroundings permit. The shark, strangely enough, is one of the most popular fish for aquariums. The reason for this is that sharks adapt to their environment. If you catch a small shark and confine it, it will stay a size proportionate to the aquarium in which it lives. Sharks can be six inches long and fully mature. But turn them loose in the ocean and they grow to their normal size.

I've noticed the same phenomenon with regard to followers of Jesus Christ. If we are challenged to live heroic lives for Christ, we have that capability. Left unchallenged, however, most of us stay where we are--with an immature understanding of faith and a nominal commitment to Christ.

Be challenged to change your world with Christ's salvation of hope.

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Dear God, may I take the challenges you have laid before me and live a heroic life for Jesus. Amen.

Ron Newhouse

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