Milk

The most powerful commercials leave me with an image or song or slogan that is timeless. I may be dating myself, but I still remember the Coca-Cola commercial from the 70s that had me singing “I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony.” ad nauseum. I remember my mother preaching a Christmas Eve sermon titled “Jesus: When You Care Enough to Send the Very Best” based on the Hallmark greeting card slogan.

And who can forget the milk industry’s “Milk. It does a body good.”, encouraging us to drink what is sometimes called nature’s perfect food. To maintain a healthy body, I must ingest proper nutrients daily; milk provides many of those nutrients, including protein, calcium, vitamins A, B6 and B12, potassium, and phosphorus. Likewise, to maintain a healthy spirit, I must ingest God’s Word daily.

In 1 Peter 2:2-3 (NIV), the apostle Peter wrote:

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

He is telling me that I must desire and partake of pure spiritual milk, what I would call God’s perfect food. Doing so will feed my soul and help me to grow in my living for God. Just as I read food labels to determine what food products are healthy for my body, I must also examine from whom and where I find the pure spiritual milk for my spiritual growth. What is “pure spiritual milk”? Where can I find this vital food for my soul?

Just as milk has essential elements that make it nutritious for my body, I propose that pure spiritual milk is the source of those elements that nourish my soul and support my spiritual growth. Those elements include:

• Truth-John 3:21; 14:6; 17:17
• Compassion and caring-Luke 10:33-37
• Guidance-Proverbs 16:3, 9
• Comfort-2 Corinthians 1:3-4
• Wisdom-James 1:5-6

Unlike milk for my body, pure spiritual milk does not spoil; it is timeless. It endures forever (Isaiah 40:8; 1 Peter 1:25).

And, just as those delicious, but bad-for-me snacks contain elements that are a detriment to my body (for example, sugars, artificial flavors, trans fats), I need to ensure that the milk for my soul is wholesome. 1 Peter 2:1 lists those elements that would never be in my spiritual milk: malice, deceit, slander, envy, and hypocrisy.

That means I need to acquire my spiritual milk from the right sources. First and foremost, I reach for the Bible. As the breast is the source of milk for newborns, the Bible is the source of milk for my spiritual growth. The Bible is the Word of God; it has the elements needed for my spiritual growth. In those 66 books containing 1,189 chapters, there IS a message for every situation of my life. The Bible is the primary source of my spiritual milk.

I may also turn to a trusted pastor, family member, or friend for pure spiritual milk. This person has proven that what they say and do is supported by, not contradictory to, what is in the Bible. My mother was all three in one for me. Once during Bible study, a pastor told us that we should always have our Bible open during the sermon, so that we can 1) follow along as Scriptures are cited and 2) verify for ourselves what we are being told. These secondary sources of food for my soul, be it family, friend, or pastor, must be firmly rooted in the primary source.

Hymns, contemporary Christian music, art, and praise dance serve as my tertiary source of spiritual milk. These creative expressions of God’s Word can provide a unique interpretation, opening my mind and heart to what my reading may have missed. However, these creative sources must also be based on the Word of God.

I want to grow in my relationship with God. To do so, I must crave the pure spiritual milk provided by the God Most High. That means reading the Bible and testing what I hear, see, and do against God’s Word. Finally, as a newborn must eat regularly to grow, I must partake of the pure spiritual milk regularly. No fasting allowed.

Reflect: I listed six essential elements found in pure spiritual milk. What would you add to that list? What Scriptural reference supports this element?