The tongue is an organ in the mouth, rough in texture due to taste buds covering its surface. The tongue has many functions, including mixing food with saliva to create a bolus for easy swallowing and digestion. Taste buds are separate sensory organs with taste receptors which respond to sweet, bitter, sour, salty, and umami tastes in our mouths by transmitting this information to our brains. They play a part in guiding humans to determine whether food ingested is nutritive and desirable, and help us to avoid consumption of potentially harmful substances.
Interestingly, these taste receptors have to work in conjunction with other information from our sensory faculties in order for us to derive the taste of something! This means we subconsciously consider other sensory factors such as the smell, sight, and texture of a food to determine its quality in terms of taste. Just think of the times when you tried a familiar meal when you were nursing a cold, only to be disappointed by how it was tasteless because you could not smell the strong aromatic fragrance.
Whatever is swallowed by the tongue undergoes digestion and absorption by the body. It can either be nourishing, promoting good health, or junk. Junk food is what we call “empty calories” because it does no good to the body. As a nutritionist, I often try to walk my talk by choosing healthier foods often deemed tasteless by my clients. Exploring healthier options with my clients often gets faced with rejection and perhaps even repulsion. After all, healthy is apparently synonymous with tasteless (read: neither sweet, nor salty, nor bitter, nor sour, nor umami; likely to be dull in appearance with hues of brown, green, red, and white; and odourless). Tasteless food is undesirable. Is this not reflective of how the antithetical Christian walk appears to the world? Unappetising yet the best for our spiritual pilgrimage on earth!
Tasting God’s Goodness
Scripture does in fact mention taste and meals several times, and meals are frequently used to convey the true fellowship in love and unity in Christ. We need to acquire renewed spiritual taste buds to taste and see the spiritual significance of God’s hand in bringing forth ordinary events that unfold in our lives, including meals (Ps. 34:8). An example of a meal which has explicit spiritual overtones is the institution of the Holy Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 11:23–29), meant to nourish and feed a person spiritually through the work of the Holy Spirit when we eat and drink of the bread and wine.
Partaking of the Lord’s Supper according to Scripture helps us to shift our focus from ourselves to Christ and our relationship with Him and fellow believers when we commune at the table. Bread is necessary for daily sustenance, and broken bread represents Christ as the Bread of Life who provides His children with eternal life (Jn. 6:32–35); wine makes glad the heart of man (Ps. 104:14–15) and is a symbol of the blood of Jesus Christ which washes our sins away. This supper allows our faith to be strengthened as we remember Christ’s saving work on the cross.
Mealtimes are when God’s people get to build relationships by eating and drinking together, displaying the bond of peace. The elders of Israel feasted while dwelling in the majestic presence of God on Mount Sinai (Ex. 24:9–11). A tremendous delight it is to dwell with God in loving fellowship and be graciously preserved by Him. The banqueting table is another beautiful picture of rejoicing, as seen in the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:6–10). We are the church, the bride of Christ, the guests of the wedding banquet, craning forward in eager anticipation for the day of the Lord’s triumphant coming.
Inability to Taste God’s Goodness
Scripture also records meals which were downright sinful in God’s sight. We recall the several instances of the rich and powerful throwing lavish feasts for self–glorification. They live after the flesh and fill up their cup of wrath. They crave the applause of men, and not the praise of God. Recall how John the Baptist was beheaded at Herod’s birthday feast at the capricious request of Herodias’ daughter for the head of John the Baptist (Mark 6:17–25). This happened in the presence of lords, high captains, and chief estates, in the midst of gleeful dancing and making merry. The cause? Resentment and hatred towards John the Baptist because he rebuked Herod for his marriage to the divorced Herodias.
Prior to John’s martyrdom, Herod gladly heard John’s preaching, saving John from Herodias’ wicked plotting. However, Herod’s dulled spiritual taste buds rendered him unable to feed and chew on the Word of God. Despite feeling exceedingly sorry about the request, Herod chose to preserve his reputation and honour his oath, proving his allegiance to his earthly kingdom and showing how he feared men above God (Mark 6:26–27, Matt. 10:28). Be warned: do not be as the fool who says to himself in Luke 12:19, “And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry”, for earthly enjoyments will be cut short, riches heaped in vain, and souls condemned eternally.
Gathering to Taste God’s Goodness
Apply this to our lives, and we see that everything leans either towards godliness or away from it. To taste of God’s goodness requires maintaining a spiritual posture to know God’s Word and actively apply it. The Form for the Administration of the Lord’s Supper can be used as a guide to reflect on whether we show true thankfulness to God and walk uprightly before Him; and whether we lay aside unfeignedly all enmity, hatred, and envy, and firmly resolve henceforward to walk in true love and peace with our neighbour.
When we assemble for meals, we can strive to provoke one another unto love and good works, keeping our eyes on the coming of Christ (Heb. 10:24–25). First, we can remember God’s gracious providence in our lives with thanksgiving. We show gratitude by rejoicing in His continual providence and do not murmur when the food served does not suit our taste buds. Second, we have to participate in fellowship meals. Every Lord’s Day at CERC, we are privileged to have the opportunity to dine and fellowship at lunch. Face–to–face conversations help to foster stronger relationships. The next time you have your meal, challenge yourself to share a meal with someone in the congregation with whom you are unfamiliar. Or maybe catch up with the friend with whom you have lost touch. Third, intentionally choose your conversations at the table to point to Christ or to encourage a brother. Discuss your learnings from the sermon, so that your souls can be nourished by the doctrine that shall drop as the rain and as showers upon grass.
Treasure your time at the table, and remember that what constitutes the taste of a meal is not merely “taste”, but using all your five senses. Let your sweet fellowship add salt and savour to the meal, and may you be blessed richly through edifying conversation. Did I not mention that being able to converse with one another is directly related to the tongue’s ability to flex? More to be covered in Part 2 of The Tongue.
Written by: Melina Chong | Issue 58
Salt Shakers 