Summer Goal Setting - Luke 2:52

With summer fast approaching, I wanted to share an idea that I heard about summer goal setting. The idea is based off of Luke 2:52 which says, “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.” Summer calendars tend to fill up very quickly, often with very good things, but sometimes not the best things. In this post I’ll be sharing four ideas for seeking to live out this verse over the coming summer.

In Wisdom.  

Proverbs 8, James 1:5, Ecclesiastes 7:12

To grow in wisdom is to also grow in knowledge. Wisdom is applied knowledge. Some ideas for growth in this area are choosing some books to read, taking a class, mentorship meetings, learning a new skill, etc. Our purpose in growing in knowledge and wisdom should be to glorify God more through our thoughts, words, and actions. 

In Stature.

Ephesians 4:13, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 1 Timothy 4:7-8

Stature is often defined as physical height, but it could also be considered as physical strength. For this application some ideas would be to have a workout plan, eat less sugar, drink more water, get better sleep, etc. God has blessed us with wonderful bodies that can do incredible things and it is our responsibility to steward this gift well. 

In Favor with God.

Psalm 84:11, Proverbs 3:4, John 15:16

For the sake of setting goals in the context of this verse, growing in favor with God could be considered as striving to grow in your relationship with the Lord. There is no one right way to go about this but it is the most important relationship you will ever have so don’t neglect it, make time for the Lord each and every day. Commit to a bible reading plan, spend a set amount of time in prayer each day, enjoy sitting in silence and listening and waiting on the Lord, go on a walk and enjoy God’s beautiful creation. 

In Favor with Man.

Philippians 2:4, Galatians 6:10, Acts 20:35

Our focus in serving people should not be on gaining their approval, rather our focus should be on glorifying the Lord in how we relate to others. We are called to love and serve others and there are countless ways that a person could go about this. You could get a volunteer job, do random acts of kindness, pray for others, or even just offer some small encouragement.

Ultimately the purpose of this post is to encourage you to set goals that will grow your relationship with the Lord. I challenge you to come up with a goal to grow in wisdom, in stature, and in favor with God and with man over this coming summer. It doesn't have to be anything extravagant, only something that could grow your knowledge of a topic, physical strength, hunger for the Lord, or love for others. Recommit to the things that truly matter. Strive after godliness. Seek the Lord first and foremost.