I have fed you with milk and not with meat, for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet are ye able. 1 Corinthians 3:2
When our daughter was a baby, we determined not to feed her any of the prepared baby food that is available in small cans and bottles in the grocery stores. Instead, we opted for a small hand grinder that the lady at the health food store said we could use to grind up table food until the baby had enough teeth to eat regular food. The grinder was easy to use and very convenient, because we didn’t need to prepare anything different for the baby. As a bonus, it was much less expensive than buying commercial baby products. The baby loved the food, and thrived on it. We started with vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, squash, and peas, and quickly moved on to everything else that we were eating, including the meat. We found that children can, at a very young age, eat and enjoy meat and get the nourishment that good meat provides. There are some babies who can’t tolerate meat at such a young age, just as there are some Christians who take a long time to move past the milk stage of spiritual nourishment.
Sometimes our grandchildren eat very little at their meals. In such cases, it usually turns out that they were snacking on candy or junk food shortly before the meal. The same problem occurs with Christians, our appetite for the Word of God is poor because we are nibbling at the junk food of the world’s attractions, entertainment, and ideas. Instead of enjoying the Word of God, the fellowship of the Lord’s people, and the ministry of the Word at Assembly meetings, we spoil our appetite on worthless things. As a result, we fail to grow in our appreciation of Christ, in our knowledge of the Scriptures, and in our understanding of the doctrines of our faith. If we maintain a regular diet of the Scriptures, we will grow, not only in our spiritual life, but in the amount of nourishment we receive from the Word.
When it comes to our natural food, there is a great difference between milk and meat. In addition to being entirely separate foods, they also require entirely different amounts of effort to consume. Meat takes much more time to prepare, to cut up, and to chew. And so it is with the Word of God. Young believers can readily drink up the basic truths about salvation, baptism, and other foundations of our faith. As they spend more time in the word, they find themselves able to grasp deeper truths and more in-depth doctrines. The more they dig, the more they find and appreciate. And so the milk of the Word evolves into the meat of the Word. And as the meat is absorbed and appreciated, the believer grows into the full maturity that the Lord expects of those who have a good appetite for His Word.
What food group do you obtain from the Bible? Remember, spiritual vegetarians never amount to much for God. –Jim MacIntosh