2 Peter 1:5-8, NIV
“For this very reason, 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, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love; For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
I’ve recently been building a stone wall in our garden. Stones are heavy and unless there is a solid foundation in place then, in time, the weight of the wall will make it fall down. But, conversely, if I only put down foundations and build nothing on them, then the wall will never rise above ground level and it will certainly have no use as a wall – the foundations alone will be ineffective.
This is the point Peter is making in our Scripture for today. To become a Christian requires the exercise of faith – but Peter is saying that the faith we have, even the faith through which we have become believers, is not enough if we want the lives we live while here on earth to be productive and effective for the Kingdom of God.
My wall has needed layer upon layer of stones to be placed one on top of the other so that the completed wall will fulfil the purpose for which it has been built. Equally, we need to build on the faith we have and add layer upon layer of spiritual stones such as goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness and brotherly kindness. In this way we will grow strong in the practise of our faith and will then become effective disciples of Jesus, fulfilling the purposes for which God called us to Himself and be released into our destiny.
We all need to keep adding to our faith – and if we keep up with the additions, then I have observed that a divine law comes into place – the law of multiplication. God takes what we offer Him and multiplies it in His service, achieving far more than any one of us could have ever imagined. In God’s economy, the more we practise addition, the more we learn about multiplication!
Prayer: Help me, Lord, to day by day add solid spiritual stones to the wall of my life. I want to build on the foundation of faith so that my life will be effective and productive for the Kingdom of God. Help me, Lord, to fulfil the purposes for which You called me to Yourself. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.