Go look at the door frame in your kitchen, or the one at your grandmother’s house. There is a good chance it has pencil marks on it. There is probably a name, a date, and a line for every birthday.

We celebrate every inch. Nobody complains that a child grew too much.

Now picture a thirty-year-old backing up to that same door frame. The pencil line lands right where it did when he was twelve. That is not a cute moment. That is a doctor’s appointment.

Paul asks the church the same kind of question. God gave teachers “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12-13). The church exists for growth.

So back up and look. If you have been a Christian ten years, what should be true of you by now? Hebrews says, “by this time you ought to be teachers” (Hebrews 5:12). Are you harder to knock over than you were five years ago? Do you love people better? Would the folks at your house say you look more like Jesus now than you did then?

Do not answer that with a feeling. Answer it with a pencil. Write down one place you have grown and one place your mark has not moved.

Bring your answer with you. If you are too far away to come, read Ephesians 4:1-16 every day this week and let it do the measuring.

Just some thoughts,

Chris