In an empty waiting room on the third floor of the Children's Hospital, Annette Hanson sat down by the window.  She gazed outside at a child's swing as it swayed back and forth in the light breeze.  A tear streamed down her cheek and she wiped it away.

Eleven months earlier, John, her husband, received a promotion, a generous raise and a transfer.  So they boxed-up their lives and moved from Boise, Idaho to Greensboro, North Carolina when she was four months pregnant.

After purchasing a two-story house with a fenced backyard, the work began on the baby's room.  They painted baseboards and door frames, hung some adorable pink wallpaper and installed new carpet.  Then they went shopping, purchasing necessities such as a crib, a change table, and a stroller.  In the evenings, they snuggled together on the sofa and dreamed.

They dreamed of her smiles, her giggles and her first toddling steps, and they teased each other about whom she would resemble most.

Finally the day arrived: Allison Faye was born.  They called her Ally.  The nurses raved about her as did her elated parents.

But now Annette was at the hospital. . . waiting.   Waiting for the diagnosis.  And at nineteen years of age, she was facing this alone.  

John had moved out last month.  He said that he could not deal with it anymore.

The quarreling began when Ally was four and half months old.  That was when they first noticed something was wrong.  Initially, they thought she was just a small baby, but some of their neighbors began making comments.  

John went from concerned to irate.  Somehow he felt it was her fault but never actually spoke the words.    

Annette's eyes wandered back to the window and the empty swing. 

"Annette Hanson?" 

Annette looked up at the nurse standing in the doorway.  It was time.

"First door on your left," the nurse said.  "The doctor will be in shortly."   

Annette sat down in a brown leather chair facing a walnut desk.  On the desk was a phone, a yellow legal pad and pictures of his family.  Her eyes stung with tears, but she gripped hard on her armrests and managed to hold them back.  She had to be strong for Ally.  Ally needed her.

The door swung open.  "Mrs. Hanson?"

"Yes."

Doctor Bentley patted her shoulder as he passed her.  "It's good to see you again."  He sat down behind his desk.  "Sorry about all the remodeling going on around here.  They should be done in a couple of weeks."  After rummaging through his top drawer, he brought out a pen.  "Ah, here it is.  So, how have you've been."    

Annette scratched her arm.  This was no time for small talk.  "Doctor, I have to know.  What's wrong with my baby?"

Doctor Bentley leaned back in his chair as his smile faded.  "The tests have all come back negative, but I have some more questions about you and Ally."

Dear God, he thinks this is her fault, just like John did.  Fear swept over her.  In a week Child Services would be pounding on her door demanding that she give them Ally. 

Annette bent over and buried her face in her hands.  "But she's all I have."   The tears began to flow but this time she had no strength to stop them. 

"There's no need to worry," Doctor Bentley said.  "Some babies are just this way."

After drying her eyes, they began discussing Ally's condition.  Doctor Bentley pointed out that Ally's excessive crying, reluctance to take her bottle and spitting up suggested that she had GERD, which is a reflux disease.  He gave her a prescription and some much needed advice. 

After a few weeks of treatment, Ally gained two pounds.  When Annette called John and gave him the news, they talked and laughed for the next three hours.  It was a happy day.  For all of them.

                                                                        ******

Failure to Thrive is an illness affecting infants due to an insufficient supply or malabsorption of nutrients.  With this condition physical growth is stunted.

Naturally, a growth deficiency is reason for great concern and, unlike Ally, can be caused by more serious medical conditions.

Yet, in the spiritual realm, this condition is often ignored and even encouraged.  Today, many of us unknowingly drink milk (or even sugar water) from sippy cups when we could be feasting on the delicious cuisine created in God's kitchen.

So how do we recognize if we are still on a fluids-only diet?

Paul gave us a clue in First Corinthians.  

"I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ.  I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal.  For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?" 1 Corinthians 3:1-2

Here Paul writes that Christians who consume solid food are spiritual and all others are not - at least not yet.  We can guess that the milk is the basics (salvation, baptism, praying, moral living, etc.), but this text does not explain what the solid food or meat is.

Fortunately, there exists another passage to enlighten us. 

After Jesus speaks with the woman at the well, his disciples return and begin pleading with him.

"In the meanwhile his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat? Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work."  John 4:32-34

From these verses, we can derive the formula.    Spiritual Meat = Do the will of God and finish his work.

The verse below confirms that meat belongs to mature individuals and not infants.

"But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age,even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."  Heb 5:14

This verse states that a spiritually mature person is able to discern both good (God's will) and evil (anything that is not God's will).

Paul desired to teach the Corinthians about hearing God's voice and obeying his will.  Like natural infants, babes in Christ must first understand the concept of language, that is spiritual language.  Next, they must learn to respond to God's words with an obedient heart.  And finally, they must realize that they have an important work to do. which must be completed. 

But it is not our work, but, rather, it is the Father's work.  We are merely granted the honor to participate in his masterful plan.

Yet, if we are infants or inflicted with Ally's condition, we can do little for God.

Is your spiritual growth stunted?  If so, you may have Failure to Thrive.  And like Annette, the Father is deeply concerned about you and longs to help.  But we must also do our part. 

Let us toss away our sippy cups and learn to recognize God's voice, and, with humble hearts, obey his commandments.

Then we can pull up our chairs to his table and unroll our napkins.   Dinner is served.