photo credit: anh nguyen (unsplash.com)

We have a young man who hangs out at our house from time to time. I often feel inclined to offer him something to eat, except he's a picky eater, especially when it comes to trying new things. Every now and then, I get him to eat something, but for the most part, when I ask, he says,

No, I'm all good.

One day this past weekend, he was at our house around lunchtime. I began making my daughter a quesadilla, and knowing he wouldn't eat that, I offered him grapes instead. I got the standard response, but I had them rinsed and in a bowl already, so I set them on the table for my daughter to have some anyway. He reached for a couple, then a few more.

    Wow, these are the best grapes I've ever tasted, he said.

I wonder sometimes if that's how we approach our faith journey as well. At some point, we make Jesus our Lord and Savior, and we join a Christian community of believers locally and worldwide. For many of us, that happened at a young age. In the beginning, we're learning so much, and it's all new. Sometimes it reaches a point where we've learned how to live the Christian life, and we're all good. Sure, we're still sinners, and we have to deal with all the stuff life throws at us, but we settle in to this comfortable pattern of doing a little reading (maybe a devotional or a Bible verse or two), we pray off and on throughout the day, and we go to our designated spots in the sanctuary on Sunday mornings. Maybe we volunteer or do a Bible study or two for good measure.

It's all good. It is, but you see where I'm going with this. I believe God wants us to wake up each morning, and greet him by saying, 

Wow, these are the best grapes I've ever tasted.

Not exactly those words, but you get the idea. A writer friend, Marlena Graves, asked these following questions on Twitter the other day: 

Someone help me understand how a believer can pretty much be the same person he or she was 10 years ago. Is it lack of being around people who are different from him/her? Is it reading/listening to the same people over and over again without hearing new voices?

There were a number of thoughtful responses, but the more I think about it, two answers jump out at me. 1) It's mighty comfortable. And although Jesus told us his yoke was easy and his burden light, he never once promised us comfortable. 2) We don't always have the tools to grow spiritually, or at the very least, we don't use the tools we've been given.

Spiritual curiosity has become my passion. I would also say it's been the greatest catalyst for growing in my faith. Lord willing, it's making me more like Jesus.

As we embark on this new school year, I'd encourage you to consider how you can take your faith from all good to the best thing you've ever tasted. I'll do my part to keep you thinking. When I explore something new, I'll tell you about that experience. Maybe we can both grab some courage together; to try a new spiritual discipline, read old theologians, memorize truths, visit a different church, have rich conversations.

Here's what I've learned. It's what I think God would have me relay to you. Exploring your faith, taking it from good to the best, offers bountiful blessings. Spending time with God, seeking Jesus, will wow you every time.

I'm here to help you try new things that will be like "the best grapes you've ever tasted" spiritually speaking. My email subscribers are already using:

• a checklist of spiritual practices to try
• my e-book Christian Stories - A Collection, stories from various Facebook questions I ask on occasion.
• the list, "50 Questions to Ask Other Christians Without Offending Them."
• NEW in their inboxes this week, a family booklet, "Scripture & A Creed To Memorize With Your Kids"

Click on the box above and join us.