Born to Grow
“Feed the flock of God which is among you” (1 Pet. 5:2).
It should grieve us to realize how many abandoned babes in Christ there are—spiritual orphans left without guidance, struggling to understand what it means to walk in their new life. In these days of spiritual famine, the need to nurture new believers is more urgent than ever. Our role isn’t simply to bring someone to Christ and then move on, but to see them grow—“rooted and built up in Him, and established” (Col. 2:7).
J.B. Stoney put it plainly: “The greatest proof of your love for Christ is that you care for those who belong to Him; ‘if you love Me, feed My sheep’.” True love for Christ manifests in tending to His people, helping them grasp the fullness of the life He has given.
We are not called to simply count conversions but to labor so that Christ may be formed in those who have come to Him. Salvation is not the finish line; it is the starting point of a transformed life. As Peter wrote, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people.” And why? “That ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9).
This is our purpose. This is why we exist—not just to be saved, but to grow into the full stature of Christ, that His life might be expressed in and through us. R.P. states it well: “The Christian life is not merely a converted life nor even a consecrated life, but it is the Christ-life. It is the consuming desire of the Lord Jesus to reincarnate Himself in the believer.”
Peter reminds us that our role is not to dominate or control those whom God has entrusted to us, but to be examples to the flock (1 Pet. 5:3). We nurture not by ruling, but by living as reflections of the One who shepherds us all.
Journal Reflection
Lord, I see it—You never meant for new believers to wander aimlessly, trying to piece together their faith alone. Yet so many are left without guidance, without anyone to walk with them. You have entrusted us with something far greater than simply sharing the gospel; You’ve called us to nurture, to guide, to live as examples of the life You have placed within us.
How often in the past have I been content to see someone come to faith and assume my part was finished? But that’s not Your way. You call us to feed Your sheep, not merely count them. I think back to those who walked with me when I was stumbling in my early days in Minnesota—those who patiently reminded me that my life was no longer mine, but Yours. They didn’t just give me a few Bible verses and send me off; they walked with me, encouraged me, and pointed me back to You when I slipped into self-effort. They understood that growth takes time, that it’s not about performance, but about living from the life You’ve already given.
And now, You call me to do the same for others. Not as one who stands above, instructing from a distance, but as one who walks beside them, showing them the way by living it out myself. You never intended for us to lead by control or coercion, but by simply being a vessel through which Your life can be seen.
I recognize that none of this depends on my ability—it is all You. You live in me, and as I yield to You, You will express Yourself through me. Whether it's a conversation, an act of kindness, or simply the quiet presence of someone who trusts You, it is You who shepherds Your people through me.
Thank You, Lord, that I don’t have to make anyone grow—I simply get to walk alongside them as You do Your work. What a privilege it is to see You shaping lives, forming Christ in others, just as You are forming Him in me.
Prayer
Father, thank You for the life You have placed within me. You are the Good Shepherd, and I trust You to shepherd others through me. Let me walk with those You bring into my life, not as one who strives to change them, but as one who simply yields to Your life within. You are faithful to complete the work You have begun in each of us. I rest in that truth and walk in the confidence that You are always at work, forming Christ in Your people. Amen.
Devotional Credit: Abide Above
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