2 Peter 1:5-9: "For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith, goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 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. But, if anyone does not have them he is near-sighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins."

In order for us to enjoy a Major League baseball game, it takes hundreds and hundreds of hours by hundreds and hundreds of people behind the scenes. One such person is the scout. As he goes to and fro across the face of this earth, he is looking for young men who can play the game of baseball. Typically, he is looking for "tools" - tools that will take this young man to the next level of baseball. Typically, those tools include: running, throwing, and hitting.

As we look at the verses above, we see some of the "tools" God is looking for to keep us productive in our knowledge of Christ. Notice that we need to possess them, and, also have them, in increasing measure. If we do not possess these qualities, in the long run, we will forget that we have been cleansed from our past sins.

Meditate On This

It is a "grocery list", but let's ask ourselves the question: On a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest), what kind of grade would you give yourself in the following areas:

- Goodness

- Knowledge

- Self-control

- Perseverance

- Godliness

- Brotherly kindness

- Love

In those areas in which you scored low, what can you do to raise those scores? Are you satisfied with the level you have attained in all the areas? Ask God to help you continually improve the "tools" which He has given us.