Increasing Qualities

For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:8) There are qualities we can develop that help us become more aware and more cognizant of the operations and presence of Jesus in our lives. What we want to reflect on today is whether we really want to be aware of the power and presence of Jesus in our daily lives. If you answered “yes, I want to actively be aware of Jesus in my life,” then fantastic, go to the next paragraph. If not, I want you to be aware that you are giving up on something very special– a real relationship with God. These “qualities” that increases our knowledge and fruitfulness in Christ Peter is referring to can be found in the previous verses:

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

(Vv5-7)

I know it’s a pretty general list, but let me explain what Peter is actually saying to us specifically. He is saying that when we believe in Jesus as our savior then we have to go out of our way to be different than other people in the way we act knowing that there is something different about us now with the salvation of Christ within us. All these things lead to us reacting differently and in a more Christ like way,  showing people who try to bring us into contempt that we are loving and caring and aware that Jesus is making us grow in a way that is unexpected. We want to be increasing in the knowledge of Jesus in our lives. We never want to forget that what Jesus does to me can be outweighed by anything else in the world. That means circumstances and people will all receive a reaction from us that is virtuous and full of knowledge and love. Go out of your way to increase in these qualities in every interaction with people and in every circumstance, then witness the presence of God and His power in every single moment.