I don’t like the crusts.

Well, I can tolerate the crusts of my homemade bread, but the store-bought loaves? No way! There was a time I’d use them (crust-side in) to make a sandwich if I was desperate, either because I was hungry and had no other option or because I wanted to save money and make the loaf last as long as I could, but in general, those two end pieces end up in the trash or as a treat for the dog or birds.

I know. It’s wasteful.

Sometimes when I’m wrapping up a loaf of homemade bread after cutting a few slices, I share the interior slices with anyone in my house at the time and replace the crust piece as I wrap the loaf, because it is extra protection against the air that can make it stale.

Not only are those end pieces protective, they’re also essential. I couldn’t make a loaf of bread without them. They’re the first and the last pieces. They hold the loaf together. Which reminds me of something:

The Lord God says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega. I am the One who is and was and is coming. I am the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8)

How often do we take Jesus for granted? We go about our daily lives, feasting on our favorite parts. We slice what we think we need, and we slather it with what we want. We discard what isn’t our favorite. But faith isn’t a pick-and-choose smorgasbord. If we truly rely on God’s nourishment, we feast on all he provides us. He knows what we need.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! (Psalm 34:8)

Why are we spiritually hungry and thirsty? Perhaps it’s because we’re assuming we know what our diet should be.

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35)

We can’t toss away what God provides. We can’t pick and choose our favorite tastes. We’re going to experience tastes of sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. God created us with a variety of tastes, because he knows that to fully appreciate all he intends to use to nourish and grow us, we need different experiences.

If you toss away what you don’t prefer, you might miss out on essential nourishment that holds your life together.