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. (2 Pet 1:8, NIV)

Productivity is a term often used in workplace. The apostle Peter, a former fisherman, urged the believers not to be unproductive in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Knowing Jesus Christ and following Him is our source of productivity in Christian living. Recall Peter’s experience of productivity; after a frustrating night, they caught one hundred fifty-three fish by following Jesus’ instruction to cast the net on the right side of the boat, and yet the net was not broken (Jn 21:11).

Knowing God is the beginning of salvation. However, our knowledge of God should be increased the longer we believe in Him. In the beginning, we may know God as a merciful and blissful God. All we may care about is our own needs. As a result, we only constantly pray to God to give us grace to satisfy our needs.

However, as we believe in God longer, we start realizing that God wants us to participate in His divine nature. He wants to give us His own character so we may live a truly good life. Some believers want more of God’s kindness and peace, but they are unwilling to put forth the efforts to get to know Him better. The better we know God, the better we can trust Him, serve Him, and live a productive life with Christian virtues.

            But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. (2 Pet 1:5-7)

The apostle Peter lists a progressive pathway. Possessing these qualities in increasing measure may be intangible. But in Christian living, productivity is not measured in quantities or outcomes as in the workplace. If we can make progress in these things, we will neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. A rich reward in the everlasting kingdom of Jesus Christ will await us.

Questions for Reflection

1.      How well do you know God? How would you describe His divine nature?

2.      What are the main differences between productivity in Christian living versus in the workplace?