Milk, Meat, or Meringue?

For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness; for he is a babe.  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Hebrews 5: 13-14

My husband and I made a New Year's resolution to eat healthier.  We've cut back on the sweets and included more vegetables into our diet.  It hasn't been easy and sometimes we've overindulged in the sweet stuff.  Nevertheless, we've stuck with it because we understand that to have a healthy, strong body, we need to consume the right things.

It's the same for our soul; it needs to be fed the right kind of food. When we were young in the Lord, we needed milk because we were not mature enough to handle solids.  However, we cannot stay on the bottle our whole life. Can you imagine a teenager walking around with a baby bottle? As we grow, the needs of our body changes.  We need meat to develop.  There comes a time when staying on the bottle will stunt our growth and make us malnourished.

As our bodies develop and change, so do our nutritional needs.  There are stages in our life when we need more protein, others when we need more calcium, and, face it, sometimes we just need a little comfort food.  Yet, we still need to maintain a balanced diet at all times. The same is true spiritually.  There are stages in our Christian walk when we need the strong doctrine of Romans; other times when we need to focus on the foundations of Genesis; and sometimes when we just need the comfort of Psalms. Through those stages, we need to maintain a balance of all the Scriptures, both Old and New Testament.

As my husband and I continue our quest to eat healthier, we still enjoy a sugary treat on occasion. When taken in moderation, sweets can help brighten the day and make you feel good.  Sometimes, we need a little something sweet and light in our Christian walk; what I call spiritual meringue.  There are lots of Christian books out there that are chocked full of spiritual meringue.  They make you feel good about yourself, and who doesn't need that now and then? Sometimes pastors may serve up a meringue sermon to encourage and uplift his flock.

But there is a great danger if we fail to moderate the amount of meringue in our Christian life.  After all, despite how sweet it tastes and how good it makes us feel, we need to remember that it is all fluff and no substance.  A diet that consists primarily of meringue will make us weak and eventually kill us. That is why we need to focus on the meat in our personal devotions- and make sure that our church is serving up a steady dose of the solid stuff.

The world tells us that "you are what you eat."  In a way, this passage in Hebrews is telling us the same thing.  If we are still on a diet of watered-down Scriptures, then we are trying to remain as spiritual babies.  And, babies can't do a lot to further the Kingdom of Heaven.  However, if we are consuming the meat of God's Word on a regular basis, then we are mature Christians who are spiritually fit to do God's work.

One of the first steps we had to take in eating right was to keep a daily journal of what we consume.  Most people are not aware of what they are consuming each day.  By writing it down, it makes us realize exactly what we are eating and how much of it.  What would we learn about our spiritual diet if we did this?  Are we having a steady diet of the meat of God's Word or do we snack endlessly on the latest Christian bestseller? Do we have regular meals or go for days without eating at all?

God has already laid the table for us.  With 66 incredible books to choose from, we have an endless choice of entrees.  So sidle up to the table and make sure you clean your plate. Bon appetit!