Taste Test

We all have different tastes.  That goes for food, clothing, décor, relationships, etc.  Your idea of delicious food may not be closely aligned with someone else’s idea of delicious.  Growing up, and even now, I looked forward to the holidays and any family gathering.  My family would be cooking, and I knew that I was in for a treat.  Everyone had their specialties and assignments.  My mouth was always ready to taste the product of their labors.  This is the food that I was raised eating.  I was accustomed to the flavors and smells.  Never once did I fear that the chefs would not deliver a quality meal.

By the time that I became a teenager, I recognized that although many people love their family’s cooking, every family’s cooking was not created equally.  They were eager to share what their aunt, uncle, or mom prepared.  I am a fat kid, so I was eager to try it.  And sometimes, I was left disappointed and wondering if I knew what delicious was.  Actually, I wondered if they knew what delicious was.

Now that I’m older and my taste has changed, I question if I would enjoy the dishes now.  Within the last seven years, I have fallen in LOVE with mushrooms.  At one point, I was putting mushrooms in just about everything.  They were just that good to me.  I couldn’t get enough of them.  I have backed off on my mushroom push, but if I walk past them in the grocery store, they are probably going in my shopping cart.  Time and experience changed the way that I viewed mushrooms.

That makes me think of the million of people that have rejected Christ and Christianity at some point along the way because of a bad experience with a Christian.  Every Christian home teaches things differently.  Some Christian homes push love and understanding while others push condemnation.  So, if you get offered a taste of Jesus by someone that pushes condemnation you might not have found the offer appealing.  Before ya’ll get your panties in a bunch, I am well aware that God wants us to live holy and righteous lives.  I am also well aware that He is the judge and not me.

I want everyone to taste and see that God is good.  I want the world to recognize that the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him.  I want people to experience the joy and peace that I have grown up with.  Every day with God has not been easy, but every day has been purposeful.  Even if you’ve tried Him before and didn’t like it, I invite you to try Him again.  Your taste may have changed over the years.  #wepreach