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Being Effective and Productive
2 Peter 1:8
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.
Many years ago some company came out with collapsible plastic cups (glasses) for picnics and such. They may still make them, but I've not seen one in a long time. They were a series of concentric rings that telescoped out to form a cup. As I recall, they were fairly dependable and took up little space when collapsed.
As I pondered the qualities we've been looking at for the past several days, and how one quality develops out of the previous one as we grow and mature spiritually, that cup came to mind. Each of the qualities is connected to and comes out of the previous one, sort of like the various rings of the cup.
In review, we started with faith, then added goodness, then knowledge, then self-control, then perseverance, then godliness, then brotherly kindness, then love. I really like how another referred to these qualities: "a choir of graces." And they are so!
Those wonderful graces lead us to action - our knowledge of the Lord Jesus should lead to effective and productive living, living that brings blessing to others and glory to God. The plastic cup, when extended, was useful - thus we should be. Dear fellow believer, let's endeavor to indeed "possess these qualitiesin increasing measure."
Pray with me the sentiments of Colossians 3:14:
Loving God, help me to put on love over all these virtues, for love binds them all together in perfect unity. This is my prayer in my Savior's worthy name. Amen
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