As a professionally trained chef, I know it’s an unwritten rule to state that you hate a type of food or seasoning.
And yet, here I am. I hate the taste of cilantro. There, I said it. True Confessions of a chef. To me, cilantro tastes like soap.
Fun fact: The people who dislike cilantro for its soap-like taste have a genetic likeness. It’s a variation of olfactory-receptor genes that allows us to detect aldehydes, which is a compound found both in cilantro and is also a by-product of soap. We even have a name: “cilantrophoes” which are the people who taste soap when they eat cilantro.
Two groups of people associated with cilantro. Those who like it and those who don’t.
In the last few weeks of apocalyptic behavior with the COVID-19 pandemic, I’m also seeing two “reaction” groups of people.
One group is the chaos group. These are the “sky is falling” people. These are the people on social media who are flaming the fire of chaos and drama. They’re the ones trying to profit off an unstable stock market and the ones running to the store to “stock up” on more than they could possibly need for two weeks. These are the fighting in the grocery store aisles on YouTube people. They are the ones blaming everyone for everything.
The second group is the hope-filled group. These are the “glass is half full” type of people. They are our realists, as well as our optimists. They are the ones giving us hopeful memes and helpful tips for survival. As far as leaders’ decisions they hold some accountable while praising those who are doing a good job. These are the visit nursing homes through a window or open the stores early for the elderly type of people. They might have worries but they are prepared for the outcomes.
Either group can include Christians, but I believe Christ would want His followers to be the optimists and realists who are providing guidance and hope. They recognize that God may provide differently than we are expecting, but that He will provide. He will provide. Every time, all the time, always.
DNA dictates which cilantro group we fall into. Our heart and relationship with the Father dictate which “reaction” group we belong to.
As we look at the next few weeks of pandemic uncertainty, search yourself about which group you’d like to be known for…the chaos group or the hope-filled group.
~Emily
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. ~James 1:17 (ESV)
Iron Porch 