Contemplative Bible Reading

Hebrews 5:14 (New Living Translation)

Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.

The writer is instructing the Hebrews about the nature of Jesus in God’s greater plan for mankind. This is a complicated matter. The writer chides some of the readers for their immaturity in these teachings.

There are those, however, who are mature in God. The writer likens this to how babies can only digest liquid; the mature can digest solid food.

And what is this “solid food?” It is the title of this post: the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong. I think life on earth is just that. Here I am sitting in the coffee shop banging out words on the blog and sipping coffee. Do I have the skill to recognize right and wrong? There must be more to maturity than that, huh? I mean, let’s move to the complex discussions of complex issues that complex people can discuss, huh?

Nope. Right and wrong. That’s it. Someone cuts in front of me on the road. I need to get back at ’em. Nope. That’s not right. But…no buts. Mature people see beyond the immediate revenge and “justice.” Mature people swallow the short-term situation and do the greater right, not the immediate wrong.

Hmmm, maybe there is something to this right and wrong and maturity. Please God, help me to be with the mature.