Baby Food vs. Solids
“But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.” Hebrews 5:14
Did you ever bemoan the fact that your kids were growing up way too fast? Did you tell them to slow down, stay little, be your little baby for just a bit longer? I think every parent has struggled with those feelings.
Feeding our kids was one of the most important responsibilities. We started them off on milk, because that’s all their little system could handle. But they grow and change and the next stage is somewhat bittersweet - introducing solids. It’s exciting, a whole new world of flavors, but it’s a mark of another stage of growth. The bottles are washed and put away and forks, spoons, and sippy cups make their appearance.
As a child grows, their need and desire for solids becomes greater. Their appetites change, their tastes mature, and their consumption of more complex foods increases. They don’t just want a bottle, they want what we have on our plate. They’re eager to follow in our footsteps and taste what we enjoy.
Now, think about that in a spiritual context… Do our sons and daughters crave what is on our spiritual plate? And what is it that we are consuming? Is it mature, solid spiritual food that is attractive, flavorful, and nutritious…or are we just snacking on easily-digested, processed, spiritual ‘baby food’? With what example are we leading?
Hebrews 5:14 tells us, “But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.”
That ‘solid food’ is the meat of the word, not the milk. It’s not the ‘easily digested’, pithy words of wisdom that anyone can understand. It’s the deeper precepts and themes present in Scripture. And notice how Paul, the author of Hebrews says, “by constant use” or by “practice”. That is the Greek word “hexis” and it means, “a habit, a power acquired by custom, practice, use.” 1 Constant practice and daily use will help us grow spiritually mature; it will improve our discernment and strengthen our understanding of the Word. It will help us grow and deepen our relationship with Jesus…and it will set an example to our sons and daughters of how to pursue Jesus according to His Word.
Personal checkpoint #1: Are you taking time to study Scripture daily? Not just read it, but really study it, on your own, just you and the Lord?
Spiritual maturity and discernment is dependent on our willingness and daily discipline to study God’s Word. It doesn't just ‘happen’. It’s not ‘caught’ by proximity or gained by spectatorship. That willingness and discipline is individual and personal and it translates into the ability to distinguish good from evil = spiritual discernment.
Consider this, if you learned to play the piano, you practiced daily. Just having a piano in the house didn’t guarantee you knew how to play it or would learn. Listening to piano concertos online or on the radio didn’t improve your skills. Talking about it didn’t make an impact. It was only when you sat down at the piano and began to interact with the instrument that you sharpened your skills. The more time you spent playing it, the better you understood how to play and your relationship with the piano moved from person and instrument to a beautiful collaboration that brought music and joy to the player and to those who listened. You and the piano became ‘one’ in your artistry and use.
When we read AND study scripture on our own, we are moving beyond the pre-digested information that is often available to us and far-too tempting to ‘fill’ us with spiritual ‘calories’ that are shallow or empty. Sometimes, by engaging in these things (a book, a podcast, etc), often while multitasking, we think we’re sharpening our spiritual minds. And there may be some sharpening involved, but consider this… if there were a national emergency, a natural disaster, or some event that cut us off from digital access, how would we continue our spiritual growth? Would we know how to study the Word? Could we do it without the digital world? We MUST learn to study scripture in effective ways.
Bible study CAN be exciting!
A great way to develop strong, effective Bible study is by using the inductive study method. Don’t be intimidated, don’t say you can’t do it (“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” Phil. 4:13). Just start. Choose a small passage- just a few verses and follow these steps: (You can try Psalm 23- a familiar passage with RICH truth!)
OBSERVE:
Read it, then read it again. Think about the words. Ponder the message.
Ask ‘who, what, when, where, how and why’ questions. Make a chart if you like, or just list them out.
Write down repeated words and phrases.
You can also do a word study. Choose one word, look it up in the Greek or Hebrew (use a concordance), check cross references, and take time to learn what it means and how it’s used in Scripture. Psalm 23 has several words- Shepherd, refresh/restore, shadow of death.
INTERPRET:
Is there a theme in the passage?
What does the passage mean?
Does it point to the gospel and Jesus? How?
What attributes of God do you see here? (Note, they may be obvious or they may be implied.)
APPLY:
How does this apply to me?
What is it that God wants me to learn/do?
Here’s the thing. Deep study of scripture is not quick. It’s not a drive-thru meal, it’s meant to be savored, pondered, and meditated on. You can easily study just one verse and spend an hour or more. You can camp out on the same passage for days. There is no timetable and you’re not being compared to anyone else. The goal is the learning, not the completion. Speed dating isn’t the key to lasting relationships nor is speed study the key to depth of understanding, spiritual maturity, and love for the Lord. Enjoy your time with Him! The more you do it, the more exciting it becomes!
Personal Checkpoint #2: Here’s the opportunity to do some self-evaluation. How would your sons and daughters answer these statements?
“I know my Mom/Dad studies scripture because….”
“My parents demonstrate spiritual maturity by …”
“One way my Mom/Dad demonstrates spiritual discernment is…”
“I want to study Scripture like my Mom or Dad…”
These questions are not to discourage you, but to give you a starting point. No one gets an A+ because we’re all still growing, and isn’t that encouraging? We’re still growing!! It’s never too late to start studying Scripture! Paul shares such great encouragement in Philippians 3,
“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12-14
Our sons and daughters NEED to see us studying the Word and finding joy in it. They need to see that we’re growing in our faith and see the change that it brings in our own lives. We can’t mandate that they study the Word, but we can model it well. Our walk with the Lord is a life-long process and a relationship that will only grow by spending time and investing in learning more about Him. Personal Bible study is a BIG part of that and a practice that will demonstrate to our sons and daughters what we hold most precious. Keep pressing on! Don’t look back to what you wish you had done, what you regret doing, or what you didn’t do well enough… look forward to what God is calling you to - a richer, deeper relationship with Him. Model that for your sons and daughters. Let time in the Word transform you!
Let’s pray for our own spiritual growth and example and the growth of our sons and daughters as well.
“Father God, I know that once I was alienated from You, but because I believe that Jesus died for my sins, was buried, and rose again from the dead, conquering sin and death, I am saved. His death paid the penalty for my sin. I am reconciled through Jesus Christ to You, and I can stand before You holy and without blemish, free from accusation (Col. 3:21-22).”
“You have called me to follow Jesus. Help me to do that well, daily, with intention. I pray that You would give me a hunger and thirst for righteousness and that You would stir in me a desire to study Your Word in depth. Help me to learn more about You, about Your precepts, and about the promises You’ve given me as Your child.”
“I have a deep desire that my son/daughter would follow after You with love, with intention, with a commitment that is unwavering. I want them to know You more and to have a strong faith that is unwavering. I want them to be able to distinguish good from evil and to crave the meat of the Word, not just ‘snacks’ that are easy and pre-digested words from others. Lord, I know I need to model how to study Your Word. Help me to grow so that my life gives evidence of Jesus in me. Help me to continue in my faith, established and firm, and help me to not move away from the hope held out in the gospel in exchange for what is convenient, easy, or shallow (Col. 1:23). I want my words and my life to be in harmony with Your Word.”
“Remove any hypocrisy that might cause others to question my commitment to Jesus. I pray that my words and actions would be in love: showing patience, kindness and selflessness. Help me not to be angry or boastful. I pray that my time in Your Word would take me deeper into understanding Your heart and would give me a depth of knowledge of Your word so that I can discern good from evil.”
“Lord, all of this is motivated by a heart of love and concern for (name). I can’t force them to grow in their faith, only You can motivate that. But I can model a growing faith that is grounded in Your Word. I pray that You would help me to learn how to study Your Word effectively and regularly. I pray that (name) would see and desire the same for their life. I pray all these things in Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
If you don’t know Jesus as your personal Lord, Savior, and Friend, reach out! I would love to share with you the hope you can have in Christ! There is strength for today and a freedom from sin, oppression, addiction, and despair! There is powerful hope for eternity in God’s Presence, free from sin, pain, and sorrow. He promises an everlasting peace and joy that this world can’t offer. You can know Him today! Let Jesus change your life!
G1838 - hexis - Strong's Greek Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1838/niv/mgnt/0-1/