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"The mind grows rich from what it takes in, the heart from what it gives out." -- Anonymous
(thoughts by Warren Wiersbe)
We should grow in wisdom and knowledge, and that's why we read, study, meditate and pray. But we also must grow in compassion and concern, and that's why we sacrifice and share. Peter may have had this in mind when he wrote "but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). We grow in knowledge as we take in God's truth, and we grow in grace as we give out God's love. This produces balanced Christians.
I used to tell my seminary students, "There's a simple way to get rid of all the problems you have to deal with as a pastor. Get rid of the people who cause them." But this means getting rid of the church, and if there is no church, there's no salt or light in this decaying, dark world.
By nature, most pastors are students. They like to close the door and open the books and not be disturbed. But life is full of interruptions, and the interruptions are the ministry! Think of how many times Jesus was interrupted and yet didn't get upset but turned the interruption into either a message or a miracle. Yes, we must take in God's truth, but we must also give out God's love. As Ephesians 4:15 expresses it: "...speaking the truth in love." Truth without love is brutality and love without truth is hypocrisy, and neither one of those results in true ministry.
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