I'm Not Being Fed

               This past week, I ended up deleting a Facebook post of mine which seemed to be devolving into a nonsensical argument.  I had asked the question, “Is there a “church”, whose people never say that they are, “not being fed?”   The conversation went well beyond the scope of the original question.

                I guess it’s my fault.  I intentionally ask questions that probe directly into the matters we wrestle through, both as believers, and simply as human creatures.  If I ask questions of that nature, I shouldn’t expect anything but what comes of them, and if I pursue this further, then I should expect more of the same.

                Many of you who read my writings are the kind of people who have been heard saying, “I’m not being fed.”  So please don’t think I’m taking personal aim at you.  You are not alone.  Please also know that I am not God, so I may very well be wrong about how I see things. 

                When we talk about being fed, what we are supposed to be referring to as Christians, is being taught The Word of God.  There are other ways to describe it, but that’s basically what it comes down to.  Teaching through God’s word is supposed to be a big part of what pastors and teachers do in the church.  I don’t believe there are many of us who would disagree with that.  There is more that a pastor is called to, but it certainly is a big part of the role.

                I told you I wasn’t God.  What I say next might be one place where I am completely off.

                I often find that the people who are the most vocal about what should be taught, are rarely the same individuals who have been called to be pastors themselves.  Granted, there are pastors who come across as if they know exactly what other pastors ought to teach.  That’s why I chose the word, “often”.  It is not always the case.

                Yet don’t worry.  This isn’t the only area of human life where we see the same kinds of complaints.  If you live in a family, you might have made similar observations.  So I will ask you this question;

                In a family, who is more apt to express dissatisfaction with the meal, the one who made it or the ones who are served?

                Those who are called to teaching the Word of God or feeding, normally know well enough the weight of the task, to where they have either the decency, humility or compassion to hold their tongue when they don’t particularly like the taste of what is served to them.  As for food, I don’t know what it’s like to come up with meal ideas night after night, nor prepare them evening after evening, but I have found it best to be thankful for my meal, even when I’m not all that crazy about it.  My children however don’t always share such discretion.

                If our pastor does not teach the word of God, if he twists it, endorses sin or teaches some way to be made right with God other than Christ, then we are indeed being fed a poison.  If that’s the case, you have the devil in your midst, and it might be best to have a lynching.   If we aren’t crazy about the delivery, if we’ve already heard it all from him or if it isn’t always presented in our personal context, we are being fed.  We might not like the meal, but it isn’t a matter of starving to death.  We just don’t particularly enjoy eating manna week after week.  Who does?  Take comfort.  The Israelites didn’t much like it either.

                This brings me to the second observation that I may be wrong about.  When I hear, “I’m not being fed”, it tends to come from someone who already knows what they want.  Sure.  That may sound mean, but if you think on it, is there any other possibility?  How else can the statement be made unless the person has some idea of what he wishes the meal to be?

                I have yet to hear a new believer claim to be malnourished.  Perhaps I am wrong though.  Perhaps the people who make such claims really don’t know what they need.  Maybe they are very immature in their faith and have no clue of what is best for them, and fail to recognize a roast beef dinner when it sits before them.  You decide.  Which could it be?  Are they mature enough to know what they need, or do they need such matters decided for them?  How often is it the third?  How often are they authentically not being taught the things of God? 

                The answer to these questions will vary completely from person to person and church to church.  I imagine that sometimes, I am wrong about people.  Sometimes they are not as mature as I believe them to be.  Sometimes I may be right about them, and they really are mature, to the point where they should be teaching others.  In other times, they really may be starved, where rather than walking through The Word, their teachers harp on personal favorite doctrines week after week, year after year.

                You can take or leave everything I’ve shared with you so far.  Whether anyone is sound in their faith or whether they are not, is not my call to make.  I do have one thing to ask of you, and before I ask it, I beg for your understanding.

                You might be the kind of person who knows everything.  If you are a mom, maybe you never have to ask your husband or kids what they would like for supper.  If you are a man, please know that you are allowed to make food too.  I’m not saying who should make food.  I am speaking from my personal context.  Whether a man or a woman, you have it all together and you always know what to make.  So here is the bit of compassion that I hope you will have for the less fortunate.

                Not everyone shares your certainty in their respective roles.  There are many people who ask the question, “What should I make for supper?” who really don’t know what should be made.  They know that something needs to be made, and that thing is food.  What they lack the conviction of, is what kind of food should be made?

Likewise, there are many pastors who know what is to be taught, and the very thing is the Bible itself.  So that is what they set out to do.   What they wrestle through, is which topic or passage to share from it.  Sure.  If you were that pastor or teacher, I know you would know.  I’m speaking on behalf of those of us who do not have that same assurance. 

If you could see in their hearts, you might see a people who desperately want to share precisely what you need to hear, even as God Himself would have them speak it.  And although they know that you prefer your favorite Bible teachers and authors, they still long to have that special word to speak on what you are going through today. 

I’m not a real pastor, but since they rarely defend their own cause, I’ll end by speaking on their behalf.  We know for certain you need to be fed the Scriptures.  We do not however know exactly what passage or topic suits your palate the best, nor should we.  If we did, the temptation to try and tickle your personal ear would be far too great to resist.