As a youngster, I was a particularly picky eater. My meat could not touch my rice, nor could my vegetables touch my gravy. My food items were required to stand on their own merit to gain my approval. No mixing. No mingling.
I attribute this idiosyncrasy to a special plate I had as a toddler with separate sections for different foods. (It’s incredible how habits learnt early in life can persist.)
This pickiness led me to avoid trying many new foods and to stick to the ones I like. To this day, even before I get to familiar restaurants, I can tell you what item on the menu I would order when I get there. My wife is always telling me to try something different. But I contend that I don’t want to be disappointed because I know what I like. Yet the irony is that I would never have known I liked it if I had never tried it.
Admittedly —and thankfully —these tendencies have waned over the years, and my palate has expanded as I stepped out of my comfort zone to try new things and let my food integrate more rather than segregate. However, even the most adventurous eater must admit that certain foods eaten together will have one’s stomach turned upside down with highly unpleasant consequences. So, integrate with caution.
As proper physical food is essential to our bodies, so is the Word of God to our spiritual well-being. Our spiritual diet and, consequently, our spiritual appetite must be developed so that we desire and consume what is beneficial for us.
The apostle Peter was speaking to saints in 1 Peter who were at varying levels of maturity and Christian experience. Yet he said to them collectively in 1 Peter 2:2-3:
‘As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.’
He was emphasizing that we should never lose our appetite for God’s Word. Desire it just as a newborn craves its mother’s milk, because we have experienced how good it is.
But if the desire is waning, here are the steps we need to take:
- Re-examine what is being consumed that is not spiritually compatible with God’s Word and, as a result, negatively affects your spiritual palate.
- Make the adjustments necessary to avoid the intake of these contaminants, so as not to pollute your mind and spirit.
- Develop a regular habit of reading and meditating on the Word of God and identify how it can be applied to your life.
- Once you identify the areas of application, put them into practice.
Eventually, an appetite for God’s Word will be accompanied by enjoyment of it, as the benefits to us become evident. As the adage goes, “You are what you eat.” So, spiritually speaking, eat healthy and enjoy it.