When you were a child, did you ever watch your lola prepare your favorite foods, like tinolang manok, pork humba, or pancit canton? If she’s like most lolas, she didn’t need to look at a recipe. She has prepared all those foods enough times that she could probably cook them while she’s sleeping! But she probably didn’t start that way. When she first learned, she most likely had to follow a recipe.
As young Christian leaders, we sometimes marvel at the faith of those who have been walking with Jesus for many years. We look up to people that seem to “have it all together” and face various trials with unswerving faith. Sometimes, it can seem like we’ll never get there. However, there is a “recipe” we can follow in order to grow in godliness. Take a look at what Peter says in 2 Peter 1:5-7:
5 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, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
2 Peter 1:5-7 (NLT)
Peter listed out seven “ingredients” for a godly life:
- Moral excellence
- Knowledge
- Self-control
- Patient endurance
- Godliness
- Brotherly affection
- Love
These ingredients are all added to faith (v. 5), which is mixed with God’s mercy and grace (as revealed by His promises). Just imagine a pot of utan bisaya. You have to start with the base (liquid) and add the other ingredients (vegetables). You start with faith, add God’s mercy and grace, and then the ingredients Peter listed out.
However, our recipe isn’t done yet. The pot has to go on the fire to cook the vegetables. If we follow our analogy, the Christian must be “put through the flames” in order for these godly traits to grow. Have you ever noticed how trials in your life either make or break you? That’s all part of God’s plan for your life. He’s the Master Chef and He’s making everything work together to develop you into a godly leader. In Peter’s first letter, he said,
12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. 13 Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.
1 Peter 4:12-13 (NLT2)
Christian leader, please take these things to heart. Know that the trials you face are developing godly character in you. Make every effort to add moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, patient endurance, godliness, brotherly affection, and love to your faith. If you continue in these things, you will grow. Don’t be surprised when the flames get hot, though. Embrace them, trust in your Savior, and remember that He will finish what He began in you (Philippians 1:6). He’s the Master Chef, and His recipe never fails.
Discussion Questions
- What does it look like to “make every effort to respond to God’s promises” in your life?
- Why is it important that faith come FIRST – before the seven “ingredients” that Peter listed?
- How has this article changed your view of trials in your life?
