Bees are probably one of the most misunderstood creatures in the animal kingdom. For some people, when they see a bee, they’d get into a mindless panic and start to run away or try to swat the poor bee. Other people would slowly–but very nervously–try to avoid the bee and keep themselves out of the way as much as possible.
But very few people see the struggles bees face every day.
One particular struggle I’d like to highlight today in this object lesson post is the bees’ struggle with honey production.
In nature, bees need honey to survive the winter months. Also, because it’s rich in carbohydrates, honey provides bees the energy they need to fly and forage for nectar and pollen. Nectar, a sugary liquid from flowers, is an essential ingredient used by bees to make honey. When bees collect nectar, they store it in elastic pouches within their guts. These elastic pouches are called “honey stomachs.”∇
Unfortunately, due to environmental changes, nectar-producing flowers are now beginning to decline. Also, farming chemicals like herbicides, neonicotinoids, and pesticides are placing a lot of negative pressure against bees.
So, a lot of commercial beekeepers are giving their bees protein supplements just to help give them the energy they need to make honey.θ
Honey For the Soul
Okay, how does all this bee information relate to our modern, 21st century lives as Seventh-Day Adventist Christian teens?
In Psalm 119:103, we read–
How sweet are Your words to my taste,
Sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Just like the bees’ natural, essential source of energy is honey, for us as Christians our natural, essential source of energy should be the sweet honey of God’s Word. In the same chapter of Psalms, in verse 50, we see something also worth pondering:
This is my comfort in my affliction,
For Your word has given me life.
As I mentioned before, one of the primary, natural uses for honey is that bees use it to help them survive the winter months by giving them energy to keep warm. In the same way, the honey of God’s Word gives us energy, comfort, and life to stay spiritually warm during the cold winter months of trial and affliction.
Facing Pressure
But just like the bees are facing external threats against their honey in a world filled with horrid insecticides, we as Christians are also facing external threats against the honey of God’s Word in a world filled with the horrid insecticides of sin. As each day passes, we see the herbicides of worldliness, the neonicotinoids of godless pleasure, and the pesticides of selfishness accumulating around us. Our spiritual lives as Christians in the 21st century are now facing the negative pressure to possibly suffice on a protein supplement religion.
But just like Knowable Magazine states that bees feeding on a protein supplement diet is “no substitute” to what they’re naturally supposed to feed on (honey); so we as Christians can’t just spiritually diet on a protein supplement religion as a substitute for pure, genuine Bible devotions.
What do I mean by “protein supplement religion?”
Protein Supplement Religion
What I mean by protein supplement religion is basically consuming your spiritual food once a week rather than every day of the week. Getting all the spiritual nourishment you THINK you need from the pastor’s sermons on Sabbath. Listlessly listening to whatever lesson the Sabbath School teacher gives, believing it’ll be enough to help you spiritually live for the whole week. What I mean by protein supplement religion is just ” having a form of godliness but denying its power.” (2 Timothy 3:5)
The kind of protein supplement religion that has all the knowledge–but none of the experience.
Friend, I wanna appeal to you today to take time and think about what’s in your honey stomach. What’s in your spiritual elastic pouch? Is it the pure, sweet honey of God’s Word–or is it just protein supplements?
Maybe, dear reader, you feel like–as you truly look back on your spiritual and religious life–you don’t have much honey in your honey stomach. Maybe on a spiritual level you’re wholly consuming on the protein supplements of an empty religion–and you’re tired of it!
If it’s your desire, dear reader, to go from a spiritual protein supplement experience to a spiritual experience rich with the energizing honey of God’s Word, I appeal to you to just pray:
I’d like to conclude this blog post with a verse you may meditate on along with the above prayer. Just like the verses we’ve looked into today, this verse is also in Psalms.
The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
–(Psalms 19:7-10)
May we all have the God-given desire in our hearts to appreciate and consume the honey of God’s Word and NEVER be content with the low standard of a protein supplement religion!
Amen! Maranatha!
I genuinely treasure your piece of work, Great post.
Hi Soledad! Thank you for the comment! Have a blessed day!
Your Sister in Christ,
Aleah R.