What connects us, brings us together, better than food? Grandma’s know this and so did Jesus. Think about what Jesus did in the Gospels. He went around eating with people. Feeding people. Dining with people it was against the rules to dine with. That’s what Jesus did. Grandma’s set an extra place at the table incase company stops by. They make more food when more than the expected amount of company stops by. They show hospitality.
Food is our connection. Human to human. Person to person. We all need to eat and we all like to eat well. I remember in college a housemate decided to make his family Jerk Chicken recipe, and he made a lot. I think he was expecting the whole house to stay, but it was myself, my roommate, and him. That’s eat. Three people, and this Jerk Chicken was made from scratch. He blended the marinade from fresh ingredients and left the chicken thighs soaking in it overnight. then grilled them up ready to serve. Lots of hard work with only two other people to enjoy them with, but enjoy them we did. I still think about that chicken. Succulent and tender with just the right amount of spicy. Perfectly balanced.
At some point, as I single handedly made up for the lack of guests, he told me his grandma would’ve loved me. He said to me, “You just like food, don’t you?” I answered in the affirmative because I did just like food.
Food is what connects us. It brings us together. Think about Jesus in the Gospels breaking bread with everyone he meets. The last thing he does. It’s the important thing. His greatest miracles turning water into wine and feeding the 5000. Jesus wants us to stop focusing on the differences and see the similarities. We all hungry.
Not long after the Jerk Chicken incident I was hanging out with one of my High School friends and he told me that his parents were surprised I liked Korean food. I asked him why. It is delicious meat marinated in sauce and grilled over flame. That’s good food no matter where it originated. He told me he didn’t know why but that his parents were surprised a white boy would like anything spicer than mayonnaise.
That’s the thing about food. We all need it. We might as well enjoy it and flavors add fun. I just like good food. I never thought too much about anything other than that. If the food tastes good then what does anything else matter?
David Huzzard Writes 