And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

   - Luke 2.52

A fair sage at his death, and master of a community, he spoke with an angel; he studied Greek grammar.

   - Dallán Forgaill, Amra Choluimb Chille, Irish, 6th century

Columba (Colum Cille) was a truly remarkable man.

The son of a king and destined for the throne, he instead chose the life of a monk. He became the first great Irish peregrini to wander beyond the shore of his native land, taking the message of the Gospel to new peoples and new lands.

Colum was a man of great learning, great courage, great administrative skill, and great relational gifts. The outline of his life which Dallán provides in this lament at his passing recalls the growth pattern of our Lord Jesus Christ: wisdom, stature, favor with God, favor with man.

Here’s a pattern we can all adopt with benefit. We must continue taking care of our bodies so that we can be healthy and strong to serve the Lord for many years.

Day by day we should work hard to grow in favor with the Lord, practicing those disciplines and pursuing studies (OK, maybe not Greek grammar) that bring us into His presence and fit us for daily life and service.

We must nurture the skills of wisdom for every aspect of our lives and work, practicing that “skill in living” that brings the glory of God into even the most mundane of our daily activities (1 Cor. 10.31).

And we must seek to improve our ability to understand and love our neighbors, for love is the mark of a true believer.

This is enough for any of us to concentrate on for the rest of our lives. If we can achieve consistent growth in all these areas, it may be that God will use us like He did Colum, to bring the light of the Gospel, the transforming truth of grace, the resurrection life of Jesus, and a framework for ministry that will reach many people for years to come.

Growth like this doesn’t just happen. We must apply ourselves diligently to the task, daily pressing on to become more like Colum, and more like Jesus.

Is your growth in the Lord – which we are all commanded to pursue (2 Pet. 3.18) – as broad and consistent as it might be?

Psalm 119.1-8 (Ode to Joy: “God All Nations Sing Thy Glory”)
Blest are they whose way is blameless, all who walk within God’s Law,
who, His testimonies keeping, seek Him, filled with joy and awe.
These are they who, no wrong doing, ever walk within God’s ways.
Lord, Your precepts You command us; we would keep them all our days.

Let my ways steadfastly keep to all the statutes of Your Word.
Then shall I, no shame enduring, fix my eyes on You, O Lord!
With an upright heart I praise You, in Your rules will I abide.
I will keep Your statutes wholly; keep me ever by Your side.

I would grow as You would have me grow, O Lord; help me to take up the disciplines and studies that will shape me more fully into the person You want me to be.