Developing Your Palate

I was whipping up a batch of Thai Vinaigrette dressing for today’s potluck. Though following a rough recipe, I wanted to add a signature ingredient … something to make it my own. I mixed “it” in and tasted my creation. Instantly, I knew I had added a too much because the flavor was recognizable. Used in right proportion, this ingredient can add a spicy, exotic flavor that the average person can not identify. They just would not suspect that you added “it.”
 
The Chinese restaurant I worked at was known for its outstanding eggrolls. People would order them by the plateful … make a meal of them. We mixed the ingredients in a food-grade tub the size of a scrub sink. It was enough filling to make 150 rolls. In went the Cabbage, beansprouts, salt, pepper, soy sauce, sesame oil, the meat of choice … and seven pounds of “it.” In every batch we put seven pounds of our secret ingredient. People would ask about it … but most never guessed. In three years, I had maybe four people discern the flavor. One lady came up and said apologetically, “I’m sorry … I’m not sure that this is okay … because it taste like it was made with ______  ______.” Her discerning palate had identified the secret in our recipe.
 
Your taste palate can be trained and developed. If you don’t believe me, take a coffee tour. People get paid big bucks to aspirate coffee and identify an “essence of roasted grain with rich chocolate overtones.” Your palate for truth can be trained and developed. In the book of Job, Elihu said, “Hear my words, you wise men, and give ear to me, you who know; for the ear tests words as the palate tastes food. Let us choose what is right; let us know among ourselves what is good.” Job 34:2-4
 
Secret ingredients are fine … unless they’re harmful. Oh, how the ears and eyes of Christians must test truth these days. Most false teachers know enough not to make their lie obvious. They mix just a little in with large doses of God’s words, but over time, the effect is deadly to the soul. Like some poisons, you just don’t feel right for several meals … and then it’s too late. I’m not being mellow dramatic. Lies can be deadly to your faith.
 
Develop a taste for God’s Word from beginning to end. It will train your palate to distinguish truth from error. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Psalm 119:103
 
P.S. Thank you for reading to the end … the secret ingredient was the same in my dressing and the eggrolls. Join us for lunch and ask me. Better yet, see if your palate can figure it out 😊
 
 
 

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