Cooking is a lot like creating. An individual thinks of a meal, gathers a couple of random edible items, goes ahead to combine them and zap! Something new comes into existence. Personally, I think anyone who has ever made a meal should be regarded as an inventor, a co-creator with God.
Not long ago, I made a breakfast quite beautiful to behold, a dazzling sight to the eyes, a delight to the taste buds and full of good nourishment. Earlier on, during a spontaneous market trip, I had purchased some eggplants, mushrooms, carrots, tomatoes, bell peppers and sweet potatoes to create my signature vegetable sauce.
This creation was luscious. I was taken by it's colourfulness and spicy warmth. Every ingredient seemed to have lended its distinctive aroma to the dish. I was impressed with my effort and delighted to share it with a few persons for reviews.
They all commented on the beauty of the food, its great composition, robust flavours, and rich satiety but nothing was said to acknowledge the creator (cook). Every comment given sounded as though those vegetables washed, prepped, and cooked itself all alone. Where was the cook in all these?
Does it make sense to shower any food more accolades than the chef who prepared it?
What wisdom is there in only appreciating a meal and not the person who created it?
Can someone indeed praise vegetables for cooking nicely and not the hands that stirred the pot?
Whenever we compliment any creation more than its creator, we are appluading the wrong thing, even if that thing is food.
Sadly, the feedback I received mirrors our attitude towards the gifts and graces of God upon our lives. We live in a world stuffed with various styles of gimmicks particularly in the form of motivational speeches. We have been challenged to believe in ourselves and innate abilities. We have come to see magnificence in our dust and strength in our fragility. We cheer the notion of being self-made and the idea that we are in charge of every thing that happens to us. We even go as far as exalting our strategies more than the God who blessed us with the grace and finesse to execute those strategies.
Yet, funny enough, human beings are like a plate of food. No matter how simple or sophisticated we may appear, the truth remains we did not cook ourselves, we were created. Everything about us, our aroma, taste, flavours and individual ingredients were carefully decided by the Master Chef.
Our confidence should be in our Maker and not in ourselves. This doesn't mean being timid, rather, it means recognising that you are, and can do absolutely nothing without Christ (John 15:5c). Such a heart does not exalt itself and when it receives compliments, it takes the encouragement but returns all the glory to God.
Like the vegetables I used in creating this astringent meal, let's constantly keep in mind that we are mortals and can only do all things through Christ who strengthens us. It is the Lord who equips us with strength and causes our path to be sterling. It is His power within that makes us strong and His help makes us great (Psalm 18:32-36).
When next you eat, please remember every meal has a creator and do well to commend the chef responsible for the masterpiece in your mouth. 😁
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