How much effort and time would it take to begin to make needed changes in our lives? Why is it that some people seem to be able to grow, while others do not? The differences between these groups may be less than most have thought.

At the recent round of regional conferences, Richard Pinelli, Ministerial Services operation manager, read the following from The Sharp Edge of Success, a book about success in business: "I was just a little better than the other fellow. It's the principle of the slight edge. The differences that separate humans are far smaller than what is ordinarily supposed. In its simplest form, the principle of a slight edge is: we don't have to be a lot better to succeed over others. It is self-feeding. Like the atomic reactor, once you have a little, it multiplies. You often find that successful people have achieved by many small steps. It gives you a realistic goal. Keep your next goal realistically close to your present position."

Let's restate this principle from the point of view of Christian overcoming and growth: We don't have to be a lot better to begin to overcome and grow.

A Parable About Overcoming

Likely, all of our readers are familiar with the parable of the talents, recorded in Matthew 25. "Talents" as used there isn't meaningful in our everyday language, but read a selected portion of the parable from The Living Bible (TLB).

"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going into another country, who called together his servants and loaned them money to invest for him while he was gone. He gave $5,000 to one, $2,000 to another, and $1,000 to the last-dividing it in proportion to their abilities-and then left on his trip.

"The man who received the $5,000 began immediately to buy and sell with it and soon earned another $5,000. The man with $2,000 went right to work, too, and earned another $2,000. But the man who received the $1,000 dug a hole in the ground and hid the money for safekeeping.

"After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to him to account for his money. The man to whom he had entrusted the $5,000 brought him $10,000. His master praised him for good work. 'You have been faithful in handling this small amount,' he told him, 'so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Begin the joyous tasks I have assigned to you.' Next came the man who had received the $2,000, with the report, 'Sir, you gave me $2,000 to use, and I have doubled it.' 'Good work,' his master said. 'You are a good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over this small amount, so now I will give you much more.'

"Then the man with the $1,000 came and said, 'Sir, I knew you were a hard man, and I was afraid you would rob me of what I earned, so I hid your money in the earth and here it is!' But his master replied, 'Wicked man! Lazy slave! Since you knew I would demand your profit, you should at least have put my money into the bank so I could have some interest. Take the money from this man and give it to the man with the $10,000. For the man who uses well what he is given shall be given more, and he shall have abundance. But from the man who is unfaithful, even what little responsibility he has shall be taken from him. And throw the useless servant out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth'" (Matthew 25:14-30).

The Parable Is for Us

Clearly, the characters in the parable were to overcome and grow. I believe that the symbolism of the currency is twofold, representing the knowledge of God and His Holy Spirit. When we read what Christ said in the parable of the sower and the seed, it's clear that the parable of Matthew 25 and its companion in Luke 19 apply to us as Christians-members and children of members.

We should stop to ask why Christ presented the information in these parables with such passion, warning of dire consequences for failing to grow. Paul's comments in Romans 12:1-2 help us to understand. Through growth, we're able to discern God's will for our lives-"be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." Conversely, we might well lose touch with what is acceptable to God, if growth and overcoming aren't ongoing.

The Christian responsibility to overcome sin and human nature and to grow in the divine nature is a repeated biblical theme.

Another "growth parable" adds to the picture: "Now here is the explanation of the story I told about the farmer planting grain: The hard path where some of the seeds fell represents the heart of a person who hears the Good News about the Kingdom and doesn't understand it; then Satan comes and snatches away the seeds from his heart.

"The shallow, rocky soil represents the heart of a man who hears the message and receives it with real joy, but he doesn't have much depth in his life, and the seeds don't root very deeply, and after a while when trouble comes, or persecution begins because of his beliefs, his enthusiasm fades, and he drops out.

"The ground covered with thistles represents a man who hears the message, but the cares of this life and his longing for money choke out God's Word, and he does less and less for God" (Matthew 13:18-22, TLB).

"But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty" (Matthew 13:23, NKJV). The ultimate harvest may be a hundredfold, but it all starts with the growth of the smallest of roots.

Christians Must Grow

The first six verses of Proverbs 2 buttress the concept that all Christians must grow. Let's relate these instructions to some modern analogies. If a message or a song is being broadcast that you want to hear, you will turn up the sound. If an item is being marketed that you would dearly like to have, you will invest whatever time and money you need to obtain it. "Cry out," the Proverb says. Be as assertive as a baby crying when it needs to be fed. Search like you would for hidden treasure, the Proverb says. Know that God will respond to such determination.

The context of Peter's familiar charge to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" implies that the human mind and spirit are always learning, either in negative or positive ways (2 Peter 3:16-18).

Christians need to grow, just as babies need to grow (Hebrews 5:12-14). Christians need constant spiritual nutrition and to exercise all of our senses in applying it to life. Implied here again is the combination of the knowledge of God with His Holy Spirit.

Members of God's Church and their maturing children should not settle into "a comfort zone," like a turtle in its shell, but rather should always be growing. Jesus "set the bar" for us at our Father's divine nature and character (Matthew 5:48).

Because we understand Christ's intent that we overcome and grow, the UCGIA has been emphasizing education in four categories: ministerial, member, youth and "focused." The information that Mr. Pinelli gave obviously addresses the ministerial category, but also affects members and youth.

Success Is a Direction

Often, we're easily discouraged by a lack of growth in ourselves, and our discouragement causes us to pull back even further. Let's bring in the principle of the slight edge-we don't have to be a lot better to begin to overcome and grow. As expressed in The Sharp Edge of Success, "success is a direction, not a destination."

As we consider that, bring in the information found in the last part of Ephesians 4. Notice again the concept that Christians who aren't growing in a positive manner are "growing" in a negative one (verses 22-23).

As with the human body, the healthiest growth occurs when every part of the body contributes what is needed (verse 16).

Through Christ, the ministry must grow in feeding the saints (verses 11-15). Members and the children of members are being equipped with the godly knowledge and spiritual power that enables everyone to grow in service to the entire Church, unity, immunity to doctrinal corruption, a godly motivation for declaring the gospel and the capacity to interact lovingly with each other.

Understand, we are succeeding when we have begun to move in this direction, for we will not be perfect until our change at the onset of the Kingdom. The principle of the slight edge is: We don't have to be a lot better to begin to overcome and grow.

As Christ taught us through the brief illustration of Matthew 13:31, 33, Christians are to have the same effect on whatever group they find themselves in that leaven has on a lump of dough. We're to see ourselves as the tiny seed of the mustard plant, ever conscious of the fact that we're to grow to serve and benefit many others.

God's people are doing well, but we can always do a little better. Remember to keep your next goal realistically close to your present position.

What If?

To drive the principle of the slight edge home, here are several practical suggestions. Any number could be inserted into these suggestions, but I selected the small number of five to illustrate the point.

What if you were to spend five additional minutes in prayer and five additional minutes in Bible study every day? What if you were to fast five additional days in the year?

How helpful would it be to the Church family and to you for you to entertain people in your home five more times in a year? What difference would it make to the Church and to you for you to arrive at services five minutes earlier and stay five minutes later? And greet five additional people at every service?

For some, a goal of attending services five more times a year would be implementing the principle of the slight edge, because circumstances have damaged their trust and commitment. These can be reconstructed.

What difference would it make to the Church and to you for you to forgive people five more times this month?

What difference would it make in financing the work for everyone to add $5 to the Holy Day offerings this year?

What difference would it make to your health if you were to lose five pounds? What if you were to exercise five minutes more three times every week?

What difference would it make to your family if you were to play games or do activities that require conversation five more times every month? What difference would it make to your marriage if you were to go on a special date five more times every year?

Practice the principle of the slight edge: We don't have to be a lot better to begin to overcome and grow.