I took geometry twice. That’s right, in high school I took geometry class twice. The first time I failed it with a blazing force. The second time I barely passed with no force at all.

Now when I was in middle school I actually memorized the pi number for almost 20 digits. You know, 3.14159 etc.? And I got extra credit for that assignment because I was able to memorize so many numbers. But literally only a couple of years later when I needed to be able to use those numbers for their intended purpose I had no idea what I was doing.

Having information versus knowing how to use it really are two different things. When it comes to following Christ the same truth is evident everywhere. The entire sermon on the mount, Matthew chapter 5 - 7, is a conversation with religious people, both groups being addressed are doing really good things. Both groups of people are praying, both groups of people know that it’s wrong to murder and both groups of people fast and give to the poor. One group follows the right path just because they know they’re supposed to and the other group does it because it’s what their hearts want to do.

As we talk about going deeper in our faith, becoming more spiritually mature and living an “all in” life here at Connection Pointe, it’s important that we allow ourselves to be reminded often that any information we gain in Christ must also transform our hearts in order for it to matter at all.

Spiritual growth for the Christian has so much more to do with what we use than what we possess.

The Pharisees in Jesus‘ day possessed all of the information available but were found wanting and lacking in a transformed heart. The people that Jesus elevated during his ministry were people who obeyed what they knew, trusted and relied on him to give them more as needed in the days ahead. So as you think about your own spiritual journey and what God has shown you, take a look at some of the things you know he’s inviting you to trust him more with. They could be simple things like praying, reading your Bible or countless other things that you’ve known but maybe have not practiced or used as much. God invites all of us to discover how much more He is able to mold us into the image of his son.