I’m wired to be one of those people who always wants to know whether or not I am doing a good job, be it in my role at Peachtree, at home as a father and a husband, and even in my friendships. I could go into many of the reasons why I’m built this way from my understanding of Family Systems Theory to any of the myriad personality inventories I’ve taken over the years. But the heart of the matter is that I want to do what I’m supposed to do and constantly strive to get better in all of my various life roles.
As I have grown in my faith, there have been times when I can see that I am making improvements. There have also been times when I have felt as though I am stagnant. In my heart and soul, though, I long to hear the words of this passage spoken to me by God Himself on that day when I enter into His presence, just as I have spoken them myself in internment services. These words come at the end of what we call “The Parable of the Talents.” They point toward the understanding that God wants us to take everything with which He has blessed us and use it to further His Kingdom.
A few years ago, Peachtree identified four attributes that we can use to measure growth in our faith: Grateful, Available, Curious, and Encouraging, which together make up the acronym GrACE. As we mature in our faith journey, we should ask ourselves this simple question: “Am I more grateful, available, curious, and encouraging today than I was a year ago?” When we can answer these questions with a “Yes,” then we know we are moving ever deeper on our journey of sanctification.