Peter Howard
Carrots and Ladders
By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the [c]corruption that is in the world through lust. 2 Peter 1:4
The farmer does all the work involved in growing a carrot. He plows and fertilizes the ground. He plants and waters the seed. He weeds and cares for the seedlings. All the carrot has to do is grow into a carrot. Our Christian growth occurs in the same way. Christ puts us in an environment where we can become the best possible Christian. We do however, need to climb the ladder of Christian growth. Starting at faith, followed by virtue and knowledge, we eventually end up at brotherly kindness and love. Christ also climbed the same ladder while he was living on this earth, and with His help, God wants each of us to grow to be the best carrot we can ever be.
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 Peter 1:5-7