How Hungry Are You?
1st Peter 2:1-3: Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 2as newborn babies, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, 3if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
Welcome to coffee hour @ Chicklit Power and Trench Classes United. I’m so glad you could join us for Wednesday’s Word. Grab your favorite beverage, your Strand of Faith and let’s go tie some knot that our faith would not come unraveled in those tough and challenging times.
Have you ever met someone who just hasn’t grown up? It’s as if they got stuck somewhere along the way, like maybe out of high school – actually more common than we realize –they seem to want to hang out with younger people, continue practicing things that are not only immature for their age, but inappropriate for their soul’s growth, seeking acceptance and approval with every move. I remember how my son struggled with the concept of growing up as he was making his way closer to the end of high school. I had no idea then that he was so full of fear at the thought of growing up, but it drove him to more fear-based decisions and choices. Let’s face it, growing up can be overwhelming to our kids, especially if they have Super-parents who are doing everything everywhere but not necessarily at home, or if they have had absent parents, meaning no parents at all!
But for the most part, when we rewind our own childhood movies, and those of many others, we can see this one theme: children just want to hurry up and grow up!
As I pondered these verses, I wondered to myself, why does Peter use the analogy of newborn babies and the desire for pure milk right after an instruction to put away some childish characteristics? And then it hit me – I can be a bit slow! ☺ The only way to put away those childish behaviors away and not partake of them is to feast on/in His Word.
Think about it: when a baby is hungry, there’s no denying it, right? Could it be He wants us to hunger for His Word like we do food? So many things are planned around food, and food is to the body what His Word is to our souls! When you are getting ready to sit down to eat a favorite meal, think about how you feel: your mouth waters, your tummy makes sounds that sound like percussion beats in a band, the anticipation is finally over; and then there’s the happiness over a meal well prepared, and finally the satisfaction you feel after eating.
See the more we take in of His principles and promises, the easier it will be to leave these childish characteristics aside, and I believe that these five listed in verse 1 pretty much cover every sin or shortcoming ever committed by man…and woman! Maybe better said, these are the ingredients to anything that we do that leads us away from the “pure milk.”
Let’s look at each of them quickly: Malice is: “Desire to cause pain, injury, or distress to another,” and/or 2”Intent to commit an unlawful act or cause harm without legal justification or excuse.”
Wow, His word tells us to leave vengeance to Him!
Deceit: “Dishonest behavior: behavior that is meant to fool or trick someone,” and this includes speech!
Again we are warned in His Word over and over to speak things that lift up not tear down.
Hypocrisy: “The behavior of people who do things that they tell other people not to do: behavior that does not agree with what someone claims to believe or feel.”
We are all guilty of this one and we’ve all experienced it!
Envy: “The feeling of wanting to have what someone else has.”
Oh, my goodness, again, His word is replete with examples of being content in all circumstances!
And then evil speaking, well that’s just talking wrong/bad about someone or something, or even having a potty mouth in high gear!
So, as I look at these verses, I get the sense that if we would crave His word as much as we crave our favorite food, these childish characteristics would no longer have power over us and in us!
Abba, help me to crave Your Word as much as I crave a great steak, or my favorite dessert, Skinny Cow lathered up in peanut butter! ☺
From my heart to yours,
Evinda
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