Open and Eat



Little Isaac


Trying to get kids to eat what you fix for them can be challenging.  As a parent you enjoy giving your kids foods they like, but you always need to make sure they are getting a healthy diet so they can grow. 

Why are some kids picky eaters?  Sometimes it's all about appearance.  They trust what they can see...and if it is unfamiliar or looks like a vegetable, forget it.  Other times they have eaten that food before and know that they don't like it.  They fail to recognize or care about the long-term benefits the nutrients have to offer.  Or it can all boil down to an issue of trust.  For example, if someone told you "Close your eyes and open your mouth"...would you do it?  Most likely only if you trusted that the person wasn't going to poison you or give you something really disgusting.  Opening your mouth is a vulnerable position!

So when I read these words God spoke to Ezekiel, it got me thinking.  In Ezekiel 2:8 God says "Open your mouth, and eat what I give you".  He was being asked to be receptive and responsive to the words God was about to give him.

We can be picky eaters too.  Why aren't we always receptive and responsive to God's word?  Sometimes it's all about what we can see.  If we don't understand "why" or see how everything will play out, we are hesitant to obey.  It's easier to stay in our comfort zones.  Other times we know that what God is asking of us is not pleasant, such as needing to apologize and ask for forgiveness, and we choose short-term comfort over the long-term reward.  Or it can all boil down to an issue of trust.  Do we trust that God knows what is best for our lives?

To open yourself up and say "I'll eat whatever you give me" is a vulnerable position.  Not everything we are given to "eat" will be pleasant, but we can trust that He knows what's best for us and our growth.  And just as I give my boys a balance of foods they like and foods they need, I'm thankful that He gives me a balanced diet as well.