My interest was piqued recently by an article that appeared in The Inyo Register. I found it on the Religion page under the by-line of “By The Creek”. The author was Collin Boyle. The title was, “Taste and See” It gave a word picture of the preparation of food – not only the nutritional kind, but the spiritual kind needed for people of faith. He said, “A well prepared sermon has in mind the care of those being served. The minister is putting his heart and soul out there with great detail and care.”
Immediately a picture formed in my mind of those of us sitting in the pews waiting for the “food” to be served and how much our “spiritual tastes” varied. There are some of us who have picky tastes and we find little to our liking. Others don’t like what is on the menu. Some are more concerned about the time involved for the Pastor to deliver his “well prepared sermon” than in digesting the spiritual food being served. Some respond by finding a nap to be more satisfying than the “food” offered. Still others fault the menu or say, “I don’t like anything presented, or the manner in which it was presented.” Some, though, come and “taste and see” and find they are developing an appetite for God’s Word.
Years ago, I well remember my Pastor saying from his pulpit that if Sunday morning is the only time that you are in God’s Word – he “hated to say it, but you are really getting regurgitated scripture.” So, with time, some of us are ready to move from the “spiritual milk,” that we all start with and then graduate to the “solid food” referred to in Hebrews 5:13-14: ”Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil”.
It has also occurred to me that while Jesus said, “go and teach.” He also said to Peter, “Feed my sheep.” However, many more times He said, “Let those who have ears hear.” This statement of Jesus can be found in Matthew, Mark, Luke as well as Revelation.
Could it be that Christ is placing responsibility on those sitting in the pews for what they “hear”? Next time you are sitting in church checking your watch or thinking about what you are going to prepare for dinner, remember Christ has asked you to be an active participant in the communication process – “let those who have ears hear.”
