A Matter of Consumption

"Diego, I'm going to do a little test on you in order to get to know some of your habits.  We'll start with a game just to get you warmed up.  OK?"

"Uh, OK."

Diego came with his mother to have his stomachaches checked out.  After a couple of minutes of casual conversation, I learned that he likes to play basketball, but eats way too much fast food.

"You like to watch NBA basketball on TV?"

"Yeah."

"Great.  For the warm-up exercise, I'll give you 30 seconds, and I want you to name for me as many NBA basketball teams as you can come up with.  Ready?  Go!"

I noted the time on my watch, and within a couple of seconds, Diego started to rattle off a list of team names:

"Lakers, Clippers, Knicks, Mavericks, Heat, Cavaliers...Hornets, Thunder, Magic...."

"Good job.  Now, the fun part.  I'll give you 30 seconds again, but this time I want you to name for me as many vegetables as you can possibly think of.  Go!"

"Uh, carrots, broccoli..."

He was off to a good start, but stalled considerably after the first two vegetables, and eventually only added spinach and tomatoes to the list.  He later confided that he hated spinach.  Diego seemed to consume NBA basketball on TV much more than he consumed vegetables.

I was teaching Sunday school to the eighth graders at church a few days later, and decided to play the same game with the students, with a twist.  I asked them to list for me all the Bible verses that they were familiar with.  Sadly, most could not come up with more than one or two verses, and half the class mentioned John 3:16.  It was evident that their consumption of God's word was woefully deficient.


"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.  You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.  You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.  You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.  (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)

If we truly love God, we will have no trouble loving His words and commands, and will know many of them as if they are on the back of our hands.  Meanwhile, turn off the TV, and pass the vegetables, please.