O Taste & See | Object Lesson
This is an object lesson that can help you teach your class about the importance of GROWING IN GOD and being more mature with your spiritual taste!
Lesson:
Start by asking the class if anyone is hungry. Select a volunteer from the group and tell them you’ve brought something really special for them. Build up their excitement by describing the food dramatically. Say something like, “It’s super healthy, it will make you strong, and there are millions of people around the world who think this is the best food ever! You’re going to love it!” Encourage the rest of the class to get involved by giving a big drum roll as you prepare to reveal the “amazing” food.
With great fanfare, pull out a container of baby food—choose something particularly unappetizing, like mashed peas or prunes. The reaction from the class will likely shift from excitement to disgust. Ask the volunteer, “What’s wrong? Why don’t you want it? There are millions of babies who love this food!”
They’ll probably respond by saying it’s because they’re not a baby anymore. Use this as an opportunity to ask the class, “Oh, so you want food that’s right for someone your age? What do you like to eat?” Encourage responses, and if they’re stuck, suggest foods like chicken nuggets, corn dogs, or hamburgers. The kids will almost certainly agree that these foods are much better for them.
Don’t leave the volunteer empty-handed—give them a fun treat, like a candy bar or Pop-Tarts, to enjoy before returning to their seat
Then place the baby food on the table and say, “Imagine if I brought this as my lunch to work. What do you think people would say if I, as an adult, ate baby food every day?” Allow time for reactions and comments. Use their responses to illustrate the point: while baby food is great for infants, it’s unusual and even concerning for someone older to eat it regularly.
Explain that just like our food preferences change as we grow, our spiritual lives are meant to grow and mature as well. Staying at a beginner’s level in our relationship with God isn’t healthy if we’re supposed to grow in faith. Optional: Display or describe examples of “adult” foods—like sushi or other complex food—and explain that these represent the richer, more satisfying experiences of a deeper relationship with God.
Share examples of spiritual growth:
When we first come to church, we might learn to pray with others and memorize simple Bible verses. As we grow, we start to pray on our own, fast, and seek God in deeper ways.
Have the class to think about areas where they can grow spiritually. Ask questions like: Have you prayed alone before? Have you tried fasting or made time for Bible reading?
Explain that these things might feel unfamiliar or challenging at first, like trying a new food. But over time, they become rewarding as they help us grow closer to God.
Read Psalm 34:8 aloud: “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” Use this verse to explain that when we step out in faith and try new things in our walk with God, we begin to “taste” the goodness of a closer relationship with Him.
Help the class understand the importance of spiritual maturity by returning to the baby food example. It’s completely normal for a baby to eat baby food, but it would be weird for an adult to do so. Similarly, it’s natural for new believers to start with simple spiritual practices, but it’s not healthy for someone who has lived for God for years to stay at the same level.
Challenge the students to think about their “spiritual diet.” Are they still “eating” like spiritual infants, or are they growing in their relationship with God?
