How holy is your kitchen?
Ecclesiastes 9:7 "Go eat your food with gladness and drink your wine with a joyful heart"
When was the last time you genuinely thanked someone who prepared and brought food to your table or even appreciated yourself for the meal prepared? Considering house hold chores as ordinary, we fail to value the art immersed in creating one. How holy and spotless can you keep your kitchen? It is seemingly impossible because kitchen is always a place where your unfinished meal, unwashed dishes, dirty stove, dirty kitchen corner, unwashed vegetables, dirty kitchen bin and so on are always going to be there unless you are moving out and your kitchen is empty. Every house hold do not have the luxury to own cooking electronics, many houses especially in villages have fire place which is sufficient to sustain daily cooking, a simple meal to feed the stomach of the hungry children and spouse, a safe space to appreciate the beauty of sharing and eating.
Working in the kitchen creates a heart to serve, to share, to be thankful, to give, to receive, to create, to taste, to clean and to provide, and this heart of care we see in a homemaker. Often we are tempted to complain on every stack of dishes to wash, complain if the dish is not right or perfect but we overcome it. It is a bonding area that ties all family members together. Many indigenous entertain guests in the kitchen, not the sitting room or common room. Kitchen is the heart of a home as many architect, home decorators would agree. In my house, kitchen is larger than other rooms, which accommodates every family members and guests.A place filled with energy and strong aroma making alive our identity.
Kitchen, an ignored space which sustains life is also a space generating notion of purity and pollution. Mary Douglas a British anthropologist, writings on culture and symbolism of social anthropology. Her study shows how food symbolizes the holiness of a community which further provides identity, ancient Hebrew dietary laws and purity of food. The world of food is no exception; dealing with issues of sexism, gender role, racism and professionalism has blinded us over the love and concern it bears.
With the current COVID-19 situation many have taken culinary skills as profession or platform to update their social media. However kitchen is not always a pleasant and safe space to be, it is a place of commotion, disorder, and chaos. For some cooking is a hobby but for many a tiresome work for survival. It takes blood, sweat and tears to bring joy to the table. Does God really intervene in our kitchen? Or have we kept it too holy and clean for God to intervene?
Guy Ramsay Fieri an American restaurateur quotes, "Cooking is all about people. Food is maybe the only universal thing that really has the power to bring everyone together. No matter what culture, everywhere around the world, people eat together."
Prayer
God our provider, thank you for sustaining our life thus far. Forgive our ignorant hearts, failing to appreciate your goodness in every blessings we receive. God, help us to embrace ourselves first in comprehendingthis chaotic world. The bond we share at everyplace signifies your presence, and we thank you Godfor helping us radiant your goodness. Amen
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Author: Inkali K. Zhimo
About the Author: Inkali is a Sumi Naga fromZhekiye village, Zunheboto, Nagaland. She completed her Bachelor of Divinity from Bishop's College, Kolkata, and her Master of Theology in the departmentof Missiology from United Theological College, Bangalore. She is presently preparing for her further studies.
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