Read Proverbs 4. Reflect on verse 7.
“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.”
Wisdom invites us to grow. When we are young, growing seems to be something that just happens. As a child, I remember returning to the United States with my missionary family, and people who hadn’t seen me for a while would greet me with, “My, how you’ve grown!” What was I to say? “Yeah, that’s what happens when you’re a kid. It’s in the DNA.”
It is God’s natural design for us to grow and mature. However, as we get older, most of us don’t want to be told, “My, how you’ve grown”—at least not literally. We would probably take it to mean our clothes appear larger. None of us want to be noticed in that way. Instead, we tell ourselves we’re growing older. But are we truly growing, or are we slowly dying as we age?
I have lived in several places that attract retirees. I appreciate the time and insights they have shared. What puzzles me is that they often feel entitled to coast and settle for pleasure and rest. Growing is a season gone by. They seem to have forgotten that when we do not advance, we fall behind.1
When we stop growing, we begin dying. My mentor, John Maxwell, says some people die intellectually, emotionally, and sometimes even spiritually before dying physically.2 Let this never be said of us!
Each day I apply the law of growing. I strive to grow spiritually by reading, meditating, speaking, and acting on God’s Word. I grow intellectually and emotionally through studying, professional training, mentorship, and applying what I learn. I choose to improve my skills instead of escaping reality by watching another movie or television rerun.
I grow in physical health through a balanced diet and an active lifestyle. I eat foods that produce cells required to maintain good health. I choose to exercise. Otherwise what grows is not wisdom, but excess weight!
Parallel scenarios occur in business. When my staff and I do not sell products and services, we accumulate the weight of debt. We do not receive paychecks if we do not exercise and grow profit. The motivation to be compensated is a daily reminder to grow.
The law of growing reminds us that God designed within our DNA the ability to grow. We experience the consequences of demise when we choose not to.
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Help me grow in knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. I want to apply the law of growing to my physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Help me to help others grow as well.
“In life we either grow or die; progress or regress.” —David R. Lockwood
David Lockwood 