The old saying goes, “There’s no need crying over spilled milk.”

People use the saying to comfort someone grieving over a circumstance now done and over.  The idea is once the milk is out of the container, there is no need to worry about.  Clean it up. Move on.  Pour a fresh glass.

But I want to take the saying in a different direction.  Why did the milk spill in the first place?

Several factors could result in spilled milk.  Maybe the pourer was negligent and didn’t pay attention to what they were doing.  Perhaps they continued pouring milk even after the container was full.  Or many they were looking in another direction and missed the container all together.

Another possibility is that the container was a fault. Could the vessel have been weak and broke under the weight of the milk?  Or maybe there was a small leak that allowed milk to slowly ooze out onto the table.

Spilling Spiritual Milk

So what in the world does spilled milk have to do with anything in my life?  

In 1 Peter 2:2, the Bible challenges us to long for spiritual nourishment the way a baby craves milk.  In this instance, we can equate milk with Bible teaching and Biblical truth.

Maybe you, like me, have attended church a lot for a large part of your life.  Still others may be new to the church scene.  But one thing I hope we all have in common is that our church feeds us spiritual truth on a regular basis.

Church is not the only “spiritual milk jug” from which we can pour.  We can study the Bible ourselves daily.  Also, an abundance of Bible study books and resources are at our disposal. One thing is for sure.  We do not lack for spiritual milk.

Since that is the case, however, we have to ask the question, “why are so many spiritually immature?”  With all the spiritual nourishment available how can we be so malnourished?

What Wrong With Your Milk Glass?

Of all the possibilities for our lack of spiritual fullness, I doubt the reason is an overflowing heart. The capacity of our heart far exceeds the potential spiritual nourishment we could experience.

Apparently, we are spiritually malnourished for one of two reasons.  Maybe we are not paying attention and pouring the Bible into our hearts.  Like someone pouring milk all over the counter, we carelessly waste Biblical teaching. We let it pass through our ears and out of our attention without stopping in our hearts. 

Moreover, we read the Bible without pondering its meaning and specific application to our life experience.   After the Sunday sermon, we hurry off to our Sunday activities and leave the truth spilled on the church carpet. 

Take Care How You Pour

Can I challenge you to be a little more careful with God’s truth?  Slow down, sip, and savor what God wants to show you in His Word.  Meditate on what you read and hear.  Think of specific ways it applies to your life.

Take notes when you hear preaching and teaching.  Then refer to those notes later, reflecting on God’s message to YOU.  

Maybe spilled cow juice is no reason to cry.  But God must certainly weep when we careless spill the milk of His Word. Let His truth feed you and nourish you.

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