As a young mom I wanted to encourage my kids to try food that was visibly unappealing to them. I was having a conversation at church and a good friend told me she had a rule that her kids had to have a "no thank you" serving. My husband and I were willing to try anything. We didn't want to force them to clean their plate. We didn't see the necessity of that. We, also, didn't want to encourage, not trying food that looked distasteful.
The practice of "no thank you" servings built an ability to have meals together without hysteria. Some of those servings over the years have become not only liked, but favorites for our, now adult, children. As they grew up, taste buds changed and opinions mature. Food once forced to be tried, and passed over by tasting then, "no thank you" are now being served by our children to their children.
They see the benefits to trying things again and again. The food once off putting has become tasty.
Let's see how this analogy fits commitments to read the Bible in a year. There are parts of the Bible that begin to ebb the progress of this commitment. We attempt to push through the dryness of Leviticus, the overcooked book of Numbers and the humdrum beat of Deuteronomy. We know most people are turned off by the fifth book. It's realistic to believe Ezekiel will never even hit the plate for tasting.
These portions of the Bible should be our "no thank you" portions. We know they are going to need forcing down in order to get through them. But something happens as we commit over the years to swallow all that they offer. If you have made a commitment to complete the Bible in a year, what do you need to do to succeed?
A "no thank you" portion of Scripture is where you read and take in the information. You may not understand it. You may think you have not benefited from the portion. You commit, even if you don't remember and had to wade through. You read because you love the Lord and want to commit to Him, and God will bless that, if you did by His grace.
As we practice the habit of reading through the Bible we begin to appreciate the flavor of these precious truths of Scripture. We may even develop a desire to understand the history, the time period in order to understand the purpose. You may fill this desire by studying these once dry books. These 'no thank you' portions start to become tastier. Maybe not right away but after some time. This practice is developing your Spiritual taste buds.
You commit to take in these difficult parts of Scripture, and begin looking for understanding, you will gain a taste for all God had to say. You may even find portions you can appropriate to your walk with God. That is when Leviticus becomes moist to our taste. Numbers is no longer overcooked but a perfect medium well. The beat of Deuteronomy turns to a beautiful melody.
Just as those meals that my kids once hated and now serve to their own children, you may sing the praises of why reading through the Bible is no longer laborious. You will be able to say, "I have tasted and now I see that what once was tasteless is now spiritually edifying."
Start your "no thank you" serving today.
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