Report cards, measuring progress?

I used to be all about ‘report cards.’  Let me see those “A’s!”  Time has shown me the limitations of measuring the quality of an education with grades in a folder. Sure, teachers need some way to determine how much of the course content a student is grasping, but a 100% on the test is not proof positive. Some people are just recorders of information. They can focus and file dates and facts in their brain. Good for them! But, can they reassemble that data using it to learn new things, create conclusions not provided by the lecturer?  A truly educated person is not just a walking encyclopedia, he is a person fully developed using the information he learns to build a productive life. 

How do you measure spiritual progress?   How do you know if you are meeting Peter’s challenge to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 3:18, NIV)?  

The easy and obvious way many Christians measure their spiritual formation is by recording minutes spent reading the Bible, time spent in prayer, Sundays in church, dollars given in the offering, or even offices held in the church.  Some do really well, and that is good since each of those choices can return real benefit. But, a perfect record in them may indicate nothing at all if no depth of faith exists, no love commands, no evidence of Christ’s life is visible. There is only one true measure of spiritual progress – fruitfulness.  

The Christians in Galatia received the good news of Jesus with joy. They were transformed by God’s love, eager to learn of Christ’s ways, and accepting the Spirit’s guidance.  Then, along came some teachers who turned their new walk of faith into a system of religion. They were taught a wrong way to measure and started to compete with each other to prove how many “God-things” they could do.  The Spirit’s life disappeared and an ugly parody of Christianity emerged.  Pastor Paul was infuriated and wrote them a letter that we read as Galatians.  He called them back to Christ. Then, told them the true signs of spiritual formation.  “What happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.  Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified. Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. (The Message Galatians 5:22-26)

Christian, there are choices to be made if you desire to become a Christian of greatness.  Nobody becomes a well-educated person by sleeping through class. Nobody grows in grace by just wishing it to happen.  However, it’s not your ability to hit the metrics, to please the pastor, or gain the church’s admiration that drives the process.  It’s living in the Spirit.  Each day, we are presented with situations that allow us a choice – to control or to surrender.  We can work hard to make ourselves and life what we think it ought to be, or we can give ourselves away to the loving Leadership of Christ Jesus, inviting the Holy Spirit to flow into, through, and out of us.  When He waters the dry places of our lives, we are growing.  It’s evident, as plain as the apples hanging on a fully fruited tree.

Here is a word from the Word.  May the Spirit water your life with it this day and bring fruit.

"Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with scoffers.
But they delight in doing everything the Lord wants; day and night they think about his law.
They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season without fail.
Their leaves never wither, and in all they do, they prosper.

But this is not true of the wicked. They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.
They will be condemned at the time of judgment.
Sinners will have no place among the godly.
For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction." (Psalm 1, NLT)

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