Function Over Flavor

-

I saw a cooking documentary with a chef that was obsessed with achieving authentic flavors. A couple of ideas struck me as I watched.  
The first was about wheat. The chef said Americans eat more wheat than any other grain. Because of this we have figured out how to produce wheat that is more functional, rather than flavorful. The wheat we generally use is produced in large quantities, with a long shelf life… but the cost is its lack of flavor. We have made a choice to have quantity over quality.  

The second thing was about seasonal cooking. The chef said that as a modern society, we want to eat what we want right now. That means we consume foods that are not in season, and therefore not at the peak of their flavor, because we want it now.
As I watched, I couldn’t help but feel that this attitude of “I want what I want now” and “function over flavor” is an accurate description of American Christianity.  We want immediate results no matter the cost, and we want lots of meaningless stuff, instead of a few things that matter. That bleeds in to how we do church, how we write and listen to sermons, and even how we see God’s Word. We have become consumers of the worst kind, and it is ruining our faith as a people.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Problem with Grace

-
There's no problem with grace, of course. The problem is the wrong understanding of grace.  There are God-fearing, well-meaning Christians who have somehow gotten the wrong understanding that any talk about holiness is legalism.  Somehow they've gotten the idea that living towards a good and pure life means that you are being a legalist.  In other words, because they feel that we are saved by grace through faith (which we are), that somehow the burden to live good, obedient lives is no longer a requirement.  Some call this a "hole in your holiness".  That is bad theology. We are called to be holy, but we are saved by grace. To some they feel like that's a contradiction.  But the balance is that you are not trying to earn your salvation- that's why it's grace. But you are called, commanded, directed, empowered, expected, and demanded to live a holy life because it honors God and it pleases Him.  1 Peter 1: 16 for it is wri...
Read more

How To Answer Well

-
How do you do anything well? Answer: Practice! Here’s a helpful phrase: "your first time should not be your first time ". In other words, the first time that it really counts, should not be the first time you've ever done it. That's true for sports, speeches, performances, and even responding Biblically. If you’re honest, there are questions that you feel unprepared for, and you hope no one will ever ask you. Whether it's about salvation,   political and moral perspectives, or theological interpretations – all these big topics can be very intimidating. So what shall we do? Avoid them all altogether?   Stay away from anyone who might ask them? Or… get ready now so we can be prepared to answer "in season and out of season “? I would advise we get ready now. Here are 3 simple steps: 1. Make a list of questions and subjects you are uncomfortable addressing. 2. From that list, start writing down how to answer them. Remember, answer the way you woul...
Read more

The Violence of God

-
Protests against God’s violence are fairly common. And these complaints are used to deny His existence. But usually, these gripe statements lack an anchor to the reality of God’s character. As those who know God, we are not repelled by His character. Rather, we  are more and more attracted to it.   I wonder if one of these protestors of God’s violence went on a foreign vacation with his family. And suppose after they split up to see more of the foreign sites, his wife and daughter were taken by mal-intended men wishing to rob them of their material and bodily possessions.   Now the man is hopeless and powerless, so he calls out his government to rescue his family from their captors. In response, special military units were sent to save his loved ones. And in the efforts to rescue the captured family, it became necessary for these elite warriors to pour out violence and cruelty on the men who held this protestor’s family.  Do you think this same man who co...
Read more