How do you distinguish between an appetite for food that glorifies the Lord, and an appreciation
for food that leans towards idolatry?
Idolatry is like an obsession. It’s one thing to appreciate food, it’s another thing to be obsessed by it.
It’s at the foremost of your mind and you can never have enough of it. But obsession isn’t only about
gluttony. It’s also associated with the loss of appreciation for food that’s ordinary. There are those
whose palate has become so accustomed with the finest foods that anything else is despised. They’ve
placed food on a pedestal and that’s idolatry. God created all things and He expects us to enjoy them
regardless of how fine, ordinary and simple. In the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman, Jesus
used food to point His disciples back to God, “My food, is to do the will of Him who sent me and to
finish His word.” More than food, our greatest sustenance, nourishment and comfort is derived from
fulfilling the will of the Father, even if it means stepping into the darkness of those whom humanity
have deemed outcast.
When food and drink items make you weak in the knees, would you consider this idolatry?
Definitely not. I once celebrated my birthday in Oahu, Hawaii, and my schoolmates had organised
dinner at an outdoor restaurant, which sat under a huge banyan tree. Just before the sun set, the
whole restaurant was asked to turn towards the horizon. Sunsets in Hawaii are stunning, but this one
was exceptional. As the sun touched the horizon, a green light illuminated the sky for a momentary
3 seconds. It was simply astounding. Instantaneously, everyone clapped and cheered, and I thought
to myself, “We just worshipped God by responding intuitively to the overwhelming beauty of His
creation.” And this gives praise to God.
What is your opinion on fasting and what should its purpose be?
The biblical understanding of fasting is about drawing closer to God. Fast, if you’re surrounded
by other pleasures and have lost the hunger for a deeper reality with God. Fasting becomes an
expression of a deeper level of worship when you say, “I want nothing else, but You.” The hunger
should always be for that deeper relationship with Him. Don’t fast to get what you want. Some
believers fast as a means of twisting God’s arm: I fast because I want someone to be healed, and I
demand that God heals. Fasting then becomes idolatry. It’s synonymous to those who go on a hunger
strike to get what they want.
What can a home cook do, to play a part in the social and environmental concerns faced today?
Food wastage and scarcity is a huge concern today, but a chef has the ability and skill to recycle
leftover food. I do that with my leftovers at home, but I’ll always tweak it into another dish. There are
times when I will purposely cook in excess, with the intention of recreating it. A good example is my
roast chicken, which can feed my family for 3 meals. I’ll boil the carcass as stock for soup, and shred
the leftover meat. One portion of it goes into making rice porridge, and another portion is used to
make basil, chicken and mushroom pasta.
Joseph is the National Director of YWAM Singapore and has been
serving in missions for 20 years. He loves cooking for his lovely wife, Kim,
and their 2 beautiful daughters, Olivia and Ashley.
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