Milk Mind
Our four-year-old daughter is very smart. I can already see in her signs of a leader; however, she knows that she is smart, and therein lies the problem. It is really only a problem if her character never grows. Despite her genius, she has a milk mind, she’s not quite ready for solid food. She’s a child, a smart child, but still a child. Charlotte is one of those people that does not really like to wait around for instruction, an initiator, a take-control type. That’s great, but I have told her, she must listen first, learn, then take it from there. One day I was trying to show her how to do something and per usual she snatched it from me and took over. I said, “Charlotte, I thought I told you not to do that.” She said, “Do you know why I always try to do things on my own?” I asked, “Why?” She said, “Because I want to be like you!” What a sweet thing to say, maybe she has more of a meat mind than I thought.
Throughout his presence in scripture, Peter often acted like a child, a smart child, but a child. He was a “know-it-all” who constantly tried to correct Jesus, tell Him what to do, and act out of turn. Undoubtedly, he was well-meaning, but there was much room for godly character growth. As Jesus began the ceremonial washing of the disciple’s feet, Peter asked, “Lord, are You washing my feet?” Aware of Peter’s immaturity Jesus answered, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.” “You shall never wash my feet!” Peter shouted. Jesus simply answered, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me” (Jn. 13:6-8).
What was Peter thinking? Why was he so against Jesus washing his feet? Was it because Jesus was his Master and he was not worthy to receive such an act from the Savior of the world? Maybe it was much deeper than that, maybe Peter was actually afraid of what the feet washing represented. Days earlier Peter had witnessed Mary wash the feet of Jesus in an act of great humility, devotion, and love. She had stopped during supper and anointed His feet with costly spikenard oil (Jn. 12:1-3). Judas argued that Mary’s gift was a waste and that the expensive oil could have been sold and the money used to provide for the poor (4-6). Jesus defended Mary, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always” (7-8). When Mary washed Jesus’ feet, He declared He would soon die. Now, Jesus was attempting to wash Peter’s feet, could this mean it was time for Peter to die? Maybe in the milk mind of Peter, it was he who would have to die. Peter wanted to share in the eternal life Jesus promised but he was not ready to lay down his life just yet.
Jesus, being all-knowing, was aware of Peter’s trepidation. He reminded Peter that if he is not washed by Jesus that he had no part in Him, He who is the resurrection and the life. All of a sudden Peter had a change of heart, he didn’t just want his feet washed but his whole body! “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” Peter just could not let Jesus lead the way, the “know-it-all” was still being weaned from spiritual milk, and still wanted to tell Jesus what to do.
There was a point at which Peter did not realize how his childish words and actions interfered with God’s plan. He struggled to back down and allow God to lead the way. He was a smart cookie, a born leader but in order to be used for God’s purpose he would have to graduate from milk to meat. Paul kept his teaching basic for the Corinthians. Even when they believed they were ready for deeper things, they were not living any deeper spiritually. The Corinthians were thinking and acting according to the flesh, they were milk minded. They were not only unprepared for solid food, but they were simply not interested in allowing the Holy Spirit to guide their lives (1 Cor. 3:3-4).
“And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock, I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18). Jesus always knew who Peter was, He knew who He made Peter to be. Jesus knew that once Peter received the Holy Spirit, an immature, know-it-all, fisherman with a milk mind, would grow into the rock on which the Christian Church would be built. God wants to use you for His purpose. Let the Holy Spirit guide your life. Leave behind those things that are carnal. Read and study God’s Word so that you can develop godly character and move from milk to meat. You’re already a smart cookie, but God can make you into so much more.
