Open Letters

A Note To the Lactose Intolerant Church

I was at the grocery store one day and I walked past the different types of milk that they had in the dairy section. From the half percent, 1%,  2%, almond milk, cashew milk and even silk..it all made me cringe. Yet, I remember when my brother, sister and I used to come home every day from school and eat a bowl of cereal with the 2% milk! We had Frosted Flakes, Kits, Honey Bunches of Oats and Cinnamon Toast Crunch! We would find the biggest bowl, fold our hands to tell the good Lord thank You and delight ourselves in the Lord! Yet, now that I am much older…I cannot even fathom drinking milk, eating a bowl a cereal, not even putting it in the little coffee that I do drink.

Let’s look at something.

Did you know that 75% of the world’s population is lactose intolerant? Also, 15 – 30% are lactose intolerant in the United States of America. During my study I found that there are two main reasons for people who are lactose Intolerant. The first is the decrease in lactose production with age, therefore lactose becomes poorly absorbed.  This could be due to genes and could be passed down from one or both parents. The second cause is rare but found to be true. Some could be lactose intolerant because of an illness and the farthest reason I heard—with my own ears—is someone got their hair dyed and the reaction was them becoming lactose intolerant.

It is more common for children between the ages of 0 – 13 years of age to be lactose intolerant but between the ages of 14 – 60+ it is extremely common to develop the signs and symptoms. The most common symptoms include extreme digestive complications, bloating, abdominal cramps, gas, diarrhea and vomiting.

I want to really dive into the first cause in this post and maybe the second one at a later time.

There is a decrease in lactose production with age, therefore lactose becomes poorly absorbed. Interesting right? Yeah….I think so too.

I IMMEDIATELY thought of the Apostle Paul when he was addressing the Church of Corinth in 1 Corinthians 3:1-9. Focusing on verses 1 – 3:


Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still wordly – mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? (NIV, emphasis added)


“Tracy having a classic Tracy moment”…It made me think about how I’ve seen a lot (and I mean a lot) of seasoned saints and leaders compare themselves to those who are not as far along in their walk with Christ in a distasteful way. This is NOT a generational thing whatsoever! I feel in my heart it is a zealous thing. We can become so focused and zealous about going after things (naturally and spiritually) that people can be treated as speed bumps and rungs of a ladder.

As life provides blows that can knock the wind out of anyone, I can see how some people can forget what it was like to go through a particular process of walking out, fighting through and pressing past some of the first things that the Lord called you out of. It comes out in conversation and in a time of ministry that they too were at one point in time in the same boat as those which they’re ministering to. Yet the word is rigid and hard to view as tangible due to the pride and arrogance in which some statements are made. We were babes at one point in time and in some areas of our lives we STILL ARE babes.

In moments of teaching to hungry souls, how the meal (or the word) is prepared is how it will be ingested. If its given in grace then it will be received in grace. If it’s given in love it will be received in love. No matter how hard the truth may be. On the other hand, I’ve seen how words have shaped an infant’s mind and whatever their parents say about their present and future is who they (in most cases) unconsciously become. I say that to say that the genetics of the spiritual parents do the same thing as our natural parents. (Side Note: I am grateful to tears of what I’ve learned, applied and gained in the spirit because of my spiritual parents! Don’t play!!)

Life can make it hard for us to remember the ever growing part of ourselves. I pray a lot that I don’t forget what it was like to be on the “milk” side of my spiritual journey. Just because you’re licenced, ordained, pastoring, have a purple collared shirt with a chain, a long black or red robe and a hat or even have churches spread out in 60 locations doesn’t mean that you should belittle or rush someone who’s on what you consider milk. Don’t allow the achievements of yesterday’s glory and the accomplishments of reaching to new heights and bypassing revealed lows be the cause of illness of pride, haughtiness, respecter of persons. This will cause you to no longer digest the essence of the ‘milk’ of the word. Psalms 8:2 states Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger (KJV).

Those whom are considered to be babes in Christ can provide a level of strength and to help us remember how to defeat the enemy! It’s like we will remember the wisdom and strategies we once received with so much ease. Why? Because we asked! We won’t have to fight or quarrel among one another because the answer to defeating an enemy will come through the simplicity of the one drinking milk.

Babes in Christ can not only provide strength to us but also help us remember who we are and what our assignment is! In the 21st chapter of Matthew, Jesus had a triumphant entry as He and the disciples came into Jerusalem and the crowds were chanting “Hosanna, to the Son of David”. Soon thereafter, He turned over the tables in the temple and rebuked the people and money changers and exclaimed, ”My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.” (v. 13) and Jesus started to heal the sick and blind. It was no longer the crowd that was shouting “Hosanna to the Son of David”…it was children!

Truth be told…the “milk” in 1 Corinthians, that Apostle Paul was alluding to was extremely valuable. Let that sink in. Even the milk is expensive and considered to be a luxury to have.

There is absolutely nothing too small or  too big for God. Yet I’ve seen seasoned saints and leaders give vibes as if they no longer need the basics or fundamental things that were needed to cross over the bridges already built. Don’t forget to reach back and teach others how to stand, walk and run. Don’t forget what it’s like to digest the milk. After all, The Lord protects those of childlike faith. (Psalms 116:6)

I’m not writing to be judgmental in anyway whatsoever it’s just a reminder that no matter how far you get in your walk in anything you do, don’t forget that you needed to do the same thing we’re all doing right now…which is simply to make a conscience effort to put one foot in front of the other and START SOMEWHERE! Paul said , we must die daily (1 Cor. 15:31).

I love you

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