Thanksgiving for the Kingdom of God
The Value of the Kingdom – Part V
Scripture Reading: Matthew 13:44-52
Key Verse: Matthew 13:44
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.”
We studied in yesterday’s devotional that the cost of being part of God’s Kingdom is getting rid of some things. Today let’s look at the cost of adding some things.
Yesterday we studied the first few verses of Colossians 3, but look now at the middle part of that chapter:
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians 3:12-14)
The Apostle Peter stresses the importance of adding these virtues to our lives as we grow in our walk with God:
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:5-8 NLT)
Take note of the last sentence. Adding these virtues is not about getting into heaven, it is about becoming more productive and useful in the Kingdom of God. God wants all His children to represent His Kingdom well and make it look attractive to others. We become more attractive as Christ-followers when we remove some things and add other things in our lives.
You may have heard the analogy that we attract more bees using honey than vinegar. Have you met “vinegar” Christians that have not made much effort to remove or add Biblical virtues to their lives? Join me in putting forth great effort to become “honey” Christ-followers.
Father, grant me the wisdom and insight to grow in my knowledge of You. Holy Spirit, point out the things I should add or subtract from my lifestyle. In Jesus’s Name, amen.