I had some close family friends at my house the other day for some African style barbeque. With summer officially here, many of us will be entertaining in the backyard a lot more. As a native Kikuyu (one of the tribes in Kenya), our specialty tends to be grilled goat eaten with collard greens and ugali (corn mash). This is what is served on special occasions to honored guests. Having lived in the States for more than 20 yrs now, I have to admit I have seen a love for barbeque and an expertise in grilling that I was never exposed to growing up in the motherland.

The love of meat, grilled or otherwise prepared, can be found in every culture around the world. The taste is just hard to resist and I’m convinced even the most dedicated vegans salivate when the aroma of grilled meat hits their olfactory senses.  As much as we all love it, not every one can handle eating a well prepared juicy piece of tri-tip. One has to be physically mature with a properly developed digestive system to handle the butcher’s product.

In Hebrews 5:12, the bible speaks of strong meat that similarly is reserved only for the spiritually mature.

¹² for the time you ought to be teachers, you have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.   ¹³ For every one that uses milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. ¹⁴ But strong meat belongs to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

The writer wanted to share this rich spiritual nourishment with the disciples but they were stunted in their spiritual growth and thus could only be fed spiritual milk. They were supposed to be teachers themselves but alas, they lacked the ability to handle strong meat.

Sadly such are some of us today. Our spiritual growth has slowed down, and we may be missing out on spiritual blessings and revelations that are supposed to be ours now.

But thanks be to God because he is the God of recovery and restoration! Just like he brought recovery and restoration to Job, David, Peter and many others, he can and is willing to recover whatever we have lost. If we turn to him with a whole heart and abide in him as the vine, then his life flowing within us as branches will cause us to bring forth much fruit – a picture of maturity (Jn 15:5). If we become doers of the word and not just mere listeners, then we will become spiritually mature to handle strong meat.

As we enjoy our summer, let us remember to abide in Christ and obey his word. Let us continue in communion with the Holy Spirit at his banqueting table and our maturity will be evident to all.