In his last letter, the apostle Peter wrote:
Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder, since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things. (2 Pet 1:12-15)
The earliest Christians needed to be reminded.
They needed to be reminded of certain “qualities” – faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love (2 Pet 1:5-7). These reminders had the power to “stir up” disciples of Jesus. This is one of the reasons Peter was writing his second letter. He had dedicated himself: “I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.” Peter’s words continue to live on, centuries after his “departure.”
Christians still need reminders.
We are easily distracted from the qualities of character which matter most – faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. We consistently need to be “stirred up” to set our minds and affections on things above. Being led to periodically “recall these things” in the middle of a busy work week is like little sips of living water from the fountain of life.
Peter is long gone, as is his original audience, but the power of the principle in his words lives on. We live in an incredible age where Bible-based blogs, thoughtful Twitter feeds, faith-filled Facebook pages, inspirational Instagram accounts and more can be used to “remind” us and “stir us up” as Christians. Every day, video, audio, and text archives of sermons, Bible classes, and articles are being expanded so that disciples of Jesus might be able “at any time to recall these things,” long after the “departure” of the teacher or preacher.
To those of you who are determined, day after day, to use the words of Scripture to “remind” us of what truly matters, thank you. Your labor is not in vain. Keep up the good work.
And for those of us who need consistent “stirring” to set our minds and affections on things above, let’s be the masters of our subscriptions, feeds, pages, and accounts, rather than being mastered by them. You control what you expose your heart to, scroll by scroll, click by click, day by day.
This amazing digital tool can be used as a spiritual stir stick for the good of our souls. Let’s use it accordingly.