Dieting for Discernment

But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
(Hebrews 5:14 – ESV)

The mature know what to look for; they know what to swallow, unlike a child who will swallow anything and everything it can get its hands on. The baby just wants an experience of what this or that tastes like. They haven’t been trained yet. Their senses are wired for “now” and they aren’t ready to decide what they eat yet without getting hurt.

This is talking about decisions that are not laid down specifically in a list. If you are mature you can know God’s will without some list. You see the devil is a liar and he knows how to take something and package it so that it does not look or smell or even taste like poison. The label doesn’t exactly match some explicit warning in scripture, and for those who are untrained they don’t know how to discern by using the scope and sweep of scripture. You don’t need a proof text to have proof that the devil is at work. If you know God’s character by having been trained in God’s Word then you will know if God is at work or not. Don’t assume you do. Too many Christians are babies playing around with poison thinking they know God better than they do.

By reason of use (KJV) they practice until they are trained, which means constantly doing it, but they have learned to do it with the milk first. Then they have matured to the major leagues. They have become productive, fruitful in every good work, and the fruit isn’t poisoned.

This does bring up an interesting question, because there are people who read the Word every day, they apply themselves, they teach others, and live what many would call obedient lives, but they still fall for every fad and fraud that comes down the pike. Why? They don’t practice their discernment skills, and then they think that meat is something other than it is. They think they have a handle on it all. They aren’t so much looking to be trained as they are looking to teach, and they actually need to be taught again.

Just because someone teaches kids math in elementary school doesn’t mean they don’t need to keep doing advanced math on their own. If they stay put mentally they will regress back. People may seem obedient compared to others, but what about where God is trying to take them, are they submitted to that? To whom much is given much is required. I confess this is a big area for me in my spiritual life; I can’t just compare myself with everybody else. Neither can you.

Now, ask yourself this: Does this give any instruction for how we should deal with ourselves, as we strive to grow in Christ? Does it give any instruction as to how we might deal with others whom we disciple? Discipleship requires effort, physical, mental, spiritual. Grace is not opposed to effort. The opposite of grace is not effort, but merit. We need to recognize that we need to give the effort. We need to recognize that God is demanding an effort. We need to demand effort from those we disciple. Instead of taking the easy road or looking for the microwave miracle, we need to heed the biblical message and methods. There may be episodes of great movement in short amounts of time, but the key is to keep moving all the time. No pain no gain.

We need to become mature in our learning or we will just waste our time. We need less trial and error and more trial and triumph. We can pass the tests if we will submit to the teacher. The best way to prepare for the trials of tomorrow is to live like they were here today. I am not talking about worrying; I am talking about focus.

“Living For Today With An Eye For Tomorrow”©