DO NOT FORCE-FEED A CHILD!

 

Babies need love, sustenance, and shelter. Embrace them often, because touch is as critical to their growth as food. Babies begin suckling at the nipple, or in most cases from an artificial nipple on a sterile glass bottle. The hole in the nipple is not even visible to the naked eye, allowing them to take as little milk, (or formula), as they can swallow and digest. As they grow and progress in their digestive process, they can suck more solid foods through the nipple, and require a bigger hole in the nipple to accommodate their hunger needs. Later babies can eat soft, solid foods from a baby spoon. The smart feeder knows that the spoonful of food is placed in front of the baby’s mouth where it can be seen and smelled. The baby decides to lean forward to take as much sold food in its mouth as it can manage, (the feeder does not shove the food down the baby’s throat). Force-feeding a baby makes it afraid and reject what the feeder is offering.

Clergy personnel are supposed to be the feeders of our souls, and should follow the above-written instructions on how to feed a “babe in Christ”! Most clergy personnel are still children themselves and no responsible parent would put the care and feeding of a “newborn” in the hands of a child, without adult supervision. That is exactly what is happening in the world today. The feeders are given spoons and sent out into the world to feed the souls of so-called “sinners” when they are still walking through the water instead of walking upon the water. (Only one person besides Christ walked on water, but he lost his faith and sank into reality.) The disciples were told that they only needed faith the size of a mustard seed to command a mountain to move or to walk on water as Christ did. When is the last (or first) time you have seen a human being IRL walking on real water and not through it?

Clergy personnel have tried many tactics to convert the sinner into the “saved” including preaching “hell and brimstone” to frighten people into church! But what happens when you say, “BOO!” to a baby? First, they jump and look surprised; then they cry! Good job! You scared a baby. Why not educate and edify those you already have under your veil of protection, and teach them to live like Christ. When people see successful movie stars or professional athletes they want to emulate them and follow them by choice. They buy expensive designer clothes and priceless star-quality shoes and prance around proudly representing their love and fandom for their hero or crush! They are not forced to “Be like Mike” they want to be like him! He does not corner them and say “BOO!”

So what will it take for clergy to demonstrate and promote a star-quality romance with Christ? How will they “sell” this love story and package it less like a horror movie? How will they feed the masses with the world’s greatest spiritual food, without shoving it down the throats of babies? Like the parent that feeds the baby, clergy needs to take a few bites of their own spiritual food to show the baby that it not only tastes good but also helps them grow bigger and stronger in love and faith. Babies know when you genuinely love them. They are after all the closest creatures to God, on Earth!