The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1961-12-29
Are We Growing
Lesson for December 81, 1861

w IA w AO0A 04Sh VIVA ~ AAAA w
some serious thinking. How are
we different from what we were
a year ago? The world has
changed. but have we changed?
We are a year older. each one
of us. But "older" means diff
ferent things at different stages
of life. A child has grown larger
and stronger by growing older;
his grandfather has perhaps
shrunken and grown weaker by
growing older.
But the question is about our
real sclves. Do our souls have to
shrink, grow sickly and feeble
with age. as bodies do? The
Apostle Paul felt his age. as we
say: he was conscious of becom-
ing an old and shaky man. But
he can write of himself
Though our outward nature is
wasting away, our inner nature
is being renewed every day."
III Cor. 4:16.)
Measurer Of growth
How shall We measure the
growth of a soul? How can we
measure our true selves? A
child's progress can be shown by
pencil marks on a wall. A young
mans progress can be seen by
his passing examinations in more
and more difficult subjects. But
to grow taller is not necessarily
to grow better; and a mind may
be highly developed while the
soul is shrinking Paul gives US a
standard by which we can test
ourselves - the standard Of the
one perfect Life. Jesus Christ.
We are to grow up in every
way into him.
Let it be remembered that only
God is the true and final Judge
of us all. Our own opinion of
ourselves may well be distorted
by pride. Nevertheless we need
to examine ourselves. and the
one basic test and standard is
this: Are we growing more. or
less, like the Christ whom we
say we adore, and whose name
We bear?
One way to make this test
is to read over the Gospels and
pay special attention to the
things Jesus said. Do they seem
from time to time, more true.
more living are they more at
tractive, do they reach us,-or do
they seem. from year to year,
stranger and stranger to our
ears? Are we, or are we not,
more sympathetic and responsive
to the nlird of Jesus than we
used to be? Or is he becoming a
kind of eccentric stranger?
Goal of growth
Some one may object at this
point: isn't this impossible
Christ was? 1.-TWO answers can
even be given to this question
One was put by DR.. E. D. Soper
was put by DR.. E. D. Soper
years ago: IF you're not aim
ing at perfection then you're aim
ing at imperfection." And the
other is, that in all walks and
activities of life. people do aim
at more than they may ever
accomplish. Every breeder OF
horses aims at the perfect
horse; every artist tries to pro-
duce the perfect painting, poem
or what not; every minister tries
for the perfect sermon; even
criminals attempt the perfect
crime. They never succeed
though maybe some criminals
do. it's easier to be perfectly
bad than perfectly good! But
even it they never succeed, mot
failure, but low aim. is crime. "
And the fact remains that per
lection. in any line is the bright
background against which We
can trace our direction up or
down.
Secret Of growth
So Christ is the standard
Christ the goal, of the Christian S
life. Yet we are troubled by a
dark thought. That question,
Isn't this impossible haunts
us. Humanity speaking. it is i'm
possible. Yet if the New Tesla
ment makes anything clear. it
is this: the Christian life is a
supernatural life. It is spoken Of
as life in the spirit" or life
in the Christ" or life in God. "
The process of becoming Christ
like is not something we do all
by ourselves. The secret of
Christian growth-that is to say,
the growth Of a Christians inner
and true self. is that We have q
Power that is not our ovn.-Or do
We? If in this year now past
we can detect no signs Of growth
is it perhaps because we have
not wanted to grow? Our
heavenly father is ready to give
the Holy Spirit to all who ask
him. In the year now drawing,
We may pray for many blessings,
but what are other blessings:
u-n,-th &c 10 500