Dear Church of the Open Bible,
We have some kids who are growing up. That’s a profound insight, I know. But it’s become especially apparent to Brittany and me this summer. Jovi has a job, Evrest is learning at camp, Gus has a bunch of soccer, and Witt is enjoying friends. Of the ten or so weeks out of school, we were only able to find two where all six of us could be together for the whole week. The first week was for VBS, and the second week is this one.
Many of you are on the other side of this natural “letting go” of what used to be, and some of you have yet to experience it. But I mention it only because it has caused me to reflect on growth. The growth that matters for both us and our kids.
In Galatians 5, Paul gives some examples of growth that comes from our flesh. You should check them out (Gal 5:19-21). And then, Paul goes on to give examples of growth that comes from the Holy Spirit; what the Holy Spirit produces in our lives. In recent update emails and sermons, we’ve looked at love, joy, peace, patience, and today we want to consider kindness and goodness. Like the previous, these are relational qualities. Specifically, we are to pursue active goodness on behalf of another.
I need to do a better job of encouraging my kids to be kind and good as they grow in Christ. And that begins with me showing them what that looks like (and asking for forgiveness when I don’t) in the short time we have left together. That is growth that will last.
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. - Colossians 3:12–13.