Contemplative Bible Reading

2 Peter 1:5-9 (New International Version 2010)

⁵ For this very reason, make every effort to 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, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. ⁸ For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

Consider this list of adding-to qualities:

• faith
• goodness
• knowledge
• self-control
• perseverance
• godliness
• mutual affection
• love

Now consider the benefits of “possessing these qualities in increasing measure.” I hate the way this was written or maybe it is the translation that bothers me. We fall into a type of double negative as the qualities prevent a lack of something. Those things are

• ineffective
• unproductive

Perhaps it is my personality or type, but being ineffective and unproductive are like smoothing my teeth with sandy gravel. Have you ever had a mouthful of gravel? It isn’t a good feeling. If I am not growing in these qualities, I am going around with a mouth full of gravel. I don’t wish to do that.

And a lack of these qualities also leads to being nearsighted. I always confuse nearsighted and farsighted, so I looked  it up to make sure I had the right one. Nearsighted means the inability to see objects that are far away. In this case, I think it means that you cannot see the big picture.

As a Christian it means that Jesus cleansed me from all my sins. That act by Jesus is a big deal that serves as the foundation of my life. I should always be able to “see” that foundation provided by Jesus. If I can see that, my day-to-day activities and attitudes change.