Time for an Upgrade

You ever thought that you could do with an upgrade?

Some puruse that in a bid to keep up with everyone else who has the latest model. Others, however, are far more concerned with recognising that to complete their necessary operations and to flourish, they cannot stay where they are.

God blessed me with three daughters. It’s a good thing that God blessed me with a good wife who is a good woman to help them see what being a good woman looks like in their own upgrade. I know I have my responsibility where that development is concerned, so I’m not leaving it all up to my beloved wife – but still, always good to give thanks for the good that God gives.

All three of them have musical inclinations of sorts, but it’s the eldest of them who pursues it in studies. Like her Uncle, she is gifted on a number of instruments and unlike her father, she is committed and dedicated to playing them and improving on them. It’s been a pleasure observing her interest in these instruments and seek to progress up the grades with them. There has not been a point where I detected complacency in her to suggest that the grade that she’s reached in a particular instrument is as far as she can be bothered to go. She’s taken a path of progress that saw her start at basic stages, do the necessary work and apply the principles and techniques necessary so that now she’s in a position where she can support others in their progress on those instruments. In fact she’s very much like that with a lot of her academic studies – such is her progress and application that she’s a good role model for her siblings and in a great position to support others with their development.

Reflecting on this, reminded me of a particular indictment in scripture:

About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God.

Hebrews 5:11-12

The writer of Hebrews has been outlining how important it is for his audience to hold onto Jesus and maintain faith and not turn back. At the juncture where he speaks about Jesus being from the priesthood of Melchizedek – stating that Jesus is from a greater priesthood – he has a moment to address his readers. What he says to them should sting like a rebuke. The larger context of this expression will see the writer affirm and approve the love that listeners have, but there’s more to following Jesus and holding onto Him as the writer states:

For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Hebrews 6:10-12

Check the desire out. No time to be sluggish, no time to be dilly-dallying with the basics. There’s got to be a drive to learn to grow in knowing Jesus. Growth has to take place in the light of the intimacy you develop with Jesus. Growth is to be seen when considering your walk with Jesus. That growth is seen in the upgrade from just dealing with the milk issues of faith to the meatier matters. That growth is seen in the upgrade from being happy to know Jesus to getting on with teaching others those basics to stimulate growth among others.

The growth is to be evident in the upgrades. In the pursuit of Jesus not being a solitary and individualistic pursuit, but one that necessarily involves sharing that with others, teaching and showing and sharing to reinforce the faith that enables us to inherit the promises.

The rebuke the writer of Hebrews gives, is one that should still be felt by some of us today. Easily caught up and entangled in things that draw us away from knowing Jesus and leave us stunted in development. This is not what He desires from us. Deflated and defeated by the setbacks in life and preferring to take things steady at the basic stages of knowing, rather than taking a hold of just what it means to grow in knowing Him. This is not what He desires from us. If that’s how we continue to behave, it says a lot about how our desires clashes with His.

Whether in mind-set or in practice, there comes a time in life when you recognise the current way you operate is not sufficient. What you know about Jesus is not acceptable when there is so much more to learn and there are so many others looking to learn from you so they have an example of growing in pursuing Christ.

There comes a time life when we have to acknowledge that we need an upgrade.

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

C. L. J. Dryden