Eat to Grow

Photo by: Jomphong

Tiny little babies are so helpless. Someone has to feed them. Some children need coaxing and coddling to get them to eat.

Photo by: David Castillo Dominici

Toddlers are so excited when they can pick up little slices of banana or pieces of bread or macaroni elbows and pop them in their mouths. Their mothers say encouraging words like, “Good job!” The children smile and reach for more bits of food.

As the child grows, he starts using a spoon and actually—although sometimes messily—putting food into his mouth.

When he’s three, the average child can manage a spoon and a fork, and his parents rarely have to help him with food at all. He’s eating on his own!

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A little later, and even handling a hamburger is no challenge.

It’s much the same with our spiritual lives.

When we newly come to faith in Jesus Christ, we’re like a new baby. The Bible says, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby (1 Peter 2:2). Notice what we’re supposed to desire: the Word of God, the Bible. Without this “milk” it’s impossible to grow. We’re babies in the Lord. Many times, this means that someone will coax us and mentor us and help us to begin “drinking” spiritual milk.

As we grow in faith, we learn to start feeding ourselves. We take small bites of not-too-deep Scriptures. We read the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) and we read the Psalms. We’re starting to make Bible reading a daily habit in our lives.

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And, we grow!

As we grow, we want to delve more and more into the riches of God’s Word. The more we understand, the more we want to know. This snowballs into a life-long pursuit of knowledge and blessing. Our Bible fulfills us. It’s our lifeline. It challenges, confronts, and feeds us.

The mature Christian is one who’s eating biblical “steaks.” He uses his spiritual “knife and fork” and gets all the juiciness out of it. He discerns spiritual truths because he’s familiar with the Word. 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 5:14).

It is so very sad when a child doesn’t grow in the way that he should because he’s malnourished.

It’s every bit as sad when a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ doesn’t grow as he should. He hasn’t learned to eat for himself, even though he’s known the Lord for many years. He’s still drinking milk, dependent on others, when he should be eating meat. He’s stunted in his spiritual growth, because he never learned how to eat. He depends on his pastor to feed him. He depends on his Sunday school teacher or Bible study leader to feed him. He doesn’t even try to feed himself.

So, this Christian remains a baby. He doesn’t grow. He doesn’t thrive. He doesn’t mature in his faith.

Many times, the frustrated malnourished believer points an accusing finger at his pastor and his teachers for not meeting his needs—when all he has to do is pick up the spoon and feed himself!

How can we grow? 

1. Make sure you’ve been born again into God’s family. (See John, chapter 3.) You can’t begin to grow if you haven’t yet been born.
2. Start reading the Bible. I recommend reading the Gospel of John first, because it’s about Jesus, the Son of God. Then, read the other gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke, along with the Psalms.) Read a little bit each day. If you have a question about what you’ve read, make a note and ask your pastor or a mentor in your church.
3. When you’ve made it a habit to read the Bible daily, start reading the whole Bible. You can get a reading plan online or from your pastor. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).
4. As you discover subjects that pique your interest, get out your concordance and delve into them. You can study on your own or use prepared Bible studies. There are lots of excellent ones that will guide you as you read your Bible. Remember always that the best commentary on the Bible is the Bible.
5. Share! You encourage others as you share what you’re learning. Mentor new Christians. Disciple. Be part of the work of the Lord! Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58)

God bless you!