Gladys Johnston  

NURTURING

"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal." - 1 Corinthians 13:1 (NIV)

At the end of the summer, I planted my fall flowers. As I look down with satisfaction at the new plants, it occurs to me that new believers need to be nurtured in a way similar to these young plants. We as Christians can do this by accepting new believers where they are on their Christian faith journey. We can encourage them through Bible study and support them with loving actions.

At the same time, it is important to remember that our Christian formation is a lifelong journey and each person has his or her lessons to learn. The Bible is a great teacher and with God's help we can develop a strong and deep root system with sturdy stems to support the good fruit of faith.

Just as I care for and nurture my plants, we can be sensitive to the faith journeys of others, providing encouragement and support. We must be attentive to God who helps us grow and always act in love toward others.

Dear Lord, thank you for placing loving people in our lives to help us grow in faith. Amen