Jeremiah 15:16 - When Your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear Your name, Lord God Almighty.
Psalm 34:8 - Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.
Tonight we talked with the kids about junk food vs. soul food. We started with a silly skit where I told them I had to take care of something, left the room, and then came back dressed as a housekeeper and with a vacuum. I pretended to clean the classroom and acted surprised that anyone was in it. After wiping down a few counters, I pulled out my vacuum and began using it on the floor. One problem though....I never plugged it in. I remarked about how I needed a new vacuum cleaner until the kids pointed out my error and proceeded to show me how a vacuum works when it is plugged into an electrical outlet. To my pretend amazement, the vacuum now sucked up all of the paper scraps that I had placed on the floor before class started.
After finishing my "cleaning" lesson, I exited the room and then came back in as myself, oblivious of course as to what had happened while I was gone. ;) We told the kids we had a treat for them then and gave them each a small plate with baby food samples on it. We had carrots, applesauce, ham, and peaches. We asked the kids to use the tip of their fingers dipped into each one to taste it and see if they could tell what food it was. This took some faith on their part! Looks can be deceiving! Afterwards, we discussed what they had to do to eat that baby food. Did they have to chew? Did they need a spoon or fork? Did you need teeth to eat this food? Did the food need to be cut up before they could eat it? Did it require cooking beforehand? Baby food is probably the simplest food to eat and digest...and for a good reason. It's meant for babies!
Next, we gave the kids another plate, but this time with a real carrot, apple slice, peach slice, and piece of ham on it. We gave the kids permission to eat them as well. Again, we followed up with some questions. Did they have to chew? Did they need a spoon or fork? Did the food need to be cut up before they could eat it? Did you need teeth to eat this food? Did it require cooking beforehand? While what we gave the kids to eat, they could do so with their hands and it did not require cooking first, most foods do. This food is also more difficult for us to digest. Why? Because this food is meant for more mature people!
As new Christians becoming mature in our faith, we need to feed more and more on God's Word and grow up spiritually speaking.
Tying back into the vacuum cleaner, we discussed with the kids about how, in order for us to grow, mature, "work" right, we need sustenance, food, energy. Just like the vacuum cleaner needed electricity to work, we need the Holy Spirit in our lives and to feed ourselves daily with God's Word. It sustains us, gives us energy, empowers us, helps us to "work" right.
We then talked about additives and preservatives. Additives are added to food to make them prettier, sweeter, tastier, change their texture, etc... They are also harmful when too much of them are eaten. Natural foods like fruits and vegetables and grain-fed meats are more nutritious for us than candy bars, potato chips, and soda.
Preservatives are added into foods to make them last longer and look better no matter their age. They, like additives though, are very unhealthy for us if we eat too much of them.
We talked about how we would feel if we only ever ate foods infused with additives and preservatives and we never ate natural ingredient foods. We would feel sluggish, run-down, tired, lazy, overweight, "blah". Well, that's exactly how we feel if we rely on only Christian radio, going to church and youth group, and watching TV (even the wholesome shows) to feed us spiritually. They are full of way too many additives and preservatives. God's Word is all-natural, all-powerful, life-giving...nothing added!
Like babies who crave and cry for milk from their mom's when they are born, we should crave and seek nutritious food from God through reading and studying His Word everyday.
We ended by bringing our vacuum cleaner back into the room. We opened it up and pulled out the pieces of paper it had sucked up when I used it earlier in the lesson. Written on the pieces of paper were Scriptures and Scripture references. In the end, what we put in, is what we put out. Input = output. If we put junk in, only junk will come out and be evident in our lives. But if we put God's Word into our daily diet, the evidence will be overwhelming in what is exhibited in our lives.....love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, self-control, grace, mercy, etc...
Now that's a diet we should all WANT to be on!!
