Before you get the wrong idea, this is not about cannibalism. Its about extremely mixed metaphors, bad chemistry, and eventually about Christians. Vegetarians may struggle with the analogy. I had a debate with someone about cooking temperatures. Now if you travel a lot like me, and stay in hotels, you'll know all about the "boiled bacon breakfast syndrome". You know, when you get those breakfast buffets with rows of trays of mass produced "egg", bacon, sausages of dubious identity, warm potato slices, and partnered with wilted fruit swimming in bowls of liquid. The bacon is “fried” - that is, its been in a pan until its no longer raw, but for efficiency reasons was taken out before the moisture had evaporated - before the fats had begun to melt: and so we get "boiled bacon". You can eat it, but the flavour just does not come through like bacon that has been sizzle fried – where the moisture has evaporated and the oils are sizzling, the fat gets crispy and the aroma is irresistible. That's chemistry. I have a friend who (I think) is an embarrassment to the rich culture of the South Africa braai (which is just like a barbecue in the same way that rugby is exactly like American football). He cooks his lamb chops over a low-heat bed of wood-coals. His meat is not raw … but dried-out! Meat responds to carefully timed application of heat: low heat cooking simply stops it being raw but doesn't release much flavour. That's why steaks are seared (even if you like to eat the inside nearly raw). That's why onion needs to be sautéed in oil, not simply steamed until its limp. When the heat rises then chemistry happens and the locked in flavours are released. That’s how we get Sunday roast, flame grilled steak, and properly fried bacon. Some Christians need to be cooked before they release flavour. The reason is that while a Christian lives in his comfort zone, secure in material possessions and safe in a social circle of support, the true flavours are locked up. Grace is not released, the seasoning of forgiveness is missing, faith and trust are shallow at best, and selfless love (the kind that costs more than one's surplus) is given token attention. Worship is expressed through the pleasures of professional music, and sacrifice is reduced to letting it be publicly known that one goes to church. There is no heat! When cooking starts, when the fat melts away, and when the flavours are released, then we learn how to be the salt of the earth (there's your mixed metaphor!). Its perhaps to be expected: in our fallen state it takes immense determination, motivation, and focus to overcome the apathy of the status quo. And so we should not be surprised when Jesus doesn't offer tranquillity in this life; he sees a bigger picture and is perfecting his bride, even if for some that means a bit of cooking is needed. I believe that for some people he allows the heat of consequence to rise (he does not cause it) and doesn't automatically intervene with a safety net for our stupid choices, because he desires us to be as flavour-full as possible with the grace of Jesus in our lives.
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Why?
Probably the best therapy is to express yourself. Why do you think psychiatrists make you lie on the couch and talk, while all they do is murmur "hmmm", "uhuh", or "go on"? Archives
May 2017
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