“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the actual words of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to distinguish between good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:12-14 NASB)
Years ago, in a small Indiana town located north of Indianapolis, I worked for a manufacturing firm. Leading the HR team, one of our objectives was to keep our employees in the know. We did it by spending time on the production floor and conducting periodic communication meetings with the various departments. We administered opinion surveys, and we respond appropriately to employee concerns. The HR door was really an objective, open door. We actually used our Employee Suggestion Boxes. They were not merely metal ornaments on the wall. We posted weekly communications on the bulletin board and even in tabletop displays in the cafeteria. Sound like we were doing good in the area of employee communications, right? Well, we took it another step.
Another thing we did was put up plastic document holders in the bathrooms, either in the stalls or above every urinal on bathroom walls. Weekly our staff would insert “need to know” communications, similar to a miniature, one-page newsletter to keep employees informed. We would do this faithfully, every week. Now, being honest, this was not an original idea. Here is where it originated. I went into a men’s restroom years ago at a new, unique, and now popular place on a large body of water on the west-side of town. They had actual newspaper articles, primarily focusing on the opening of the facility and neighborhood publications that included accolades from customers and other outside parties posted over the urinals.
Here is where the title of this meditation comes in. Just last Sunday, after our worship service, my wife and I went to eat lunch at this same restaurant, at least two decades later. My first stop after letting her out at the door, parking the car, and hiking to the entry way was to go to the restroom. Over the urinals were, to my astonishment, the same newspaper articles. It made me think, “Change the page!” These articles have been up since the late 1990’s!
If you are saying, “What does this have to do with me?”, let me tell you. Some of us are not in the word of God as we should be. Some of us are still looking at the same elementary things we started with; still consuming milk as opposed to solid food when it comes to seeking out the rich content of the word of God and maturing constantly from a spiritual perspective. Like the eatery above, if this describes you, “Change the page!”
All of God’s word is profitable. The closing verses attest to that fact. So, get into the word more my friend! You will be abundantly reward by your study, by your diligently presenting yourself as a workman that need not be ashamed, and by purposely pursuing a higher level of maturity. Have a fantastic Friday! Again, “Change the page!” Be blessed!
“All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man or woman of God may be fully capable, equipped for every good work.” (Psalm 100 NLT)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King