A Reminder of What it's All About.

 I've begun to camp for a while in 2 Peter.  Peter is at least considering the possibility that he may not be around much longer (1:15), and he's writing some final challenging thoughts to those he has led to the Forgiver.  He wants to be sure they don't stumble after he's gone, especially with the rise of so many false teachers.

So he makes some pretty incredible statements in chapter one.

• Through our knowledge of God and Jesus, grace and peace are possible.  V. 2
• Everything we need for life and godliness come through that same knowledge. Vv. 3-4
• So make every effort to keep adding to what we have, what we are. V. 5
• "Add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love."  V 5-7

Then something in verse 8 leaps off the page at me, something that had never registered before, something that resonated with my heart as a leader.  "For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive. . ."

 

If those qualities, those attributes are on the increase in my life, it's a guarantee that I will not be ineffective, unproductive.

 

Wow.

 

An answer for the great fear every leader has, that somehow we won't make a difference, that we will just spin our wheels, that our lives wont' count for the kingdom.

 

Peter is so convinced of this truth that he restates to his readers.

Beginning in verse 10, "for if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

 

He then justifies nagging them about it.

13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.

 

Peter's last message is on the effective, productive life.  Be ever increasing in faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love.

 

Leaders know - it's always been about character.

 

The man in the window