The Best Seasoning

 They were the first people I really noticed when we entered the ballroom of the hotel for the art exhibit: a lovely mother with her two lovely daughters, perched in a row on a cushioned ottoman in one of the seating areas. The daughters were dressed alike, with black dresses, black tights and shoes, black woolen coats, and stylish black berets all but covering their short wavy hair. The mother also was dressed all in black, her dyed black hair long and sleek and iridescent, like the feathers of a raven. They sat upon the ottoman for some time, speaking little and smiling less, until at last the rest of the family arrived: father in a well-cut black suit, and a young boy in black pants and sport coat with a black and grey scarf wound about his neck. My daughters noted them for their fine, matching clothes and interesting hats, but I was much more interested in their interactions, such as they were.

Some time later, my family and I sat at a little table to enjoy some of the refreshments provided, and it was then that another family caught my attention. The first I saw were a young father, with scruffy beard, baseball cap, and flannel shirt untucked from his baggy jeans, and his little girl, no more than two. She was wearing a simple jumper, and her curly hair was escaping wildly from a lopsided braid. She had a dish of ice cream, and he wanted her to sit to eat it. He looked at his child as if she were his greatest treasure, and lifted her into a seat as if she were made of porcelain. Moments later he was joined by a young woman in a simple green dress, her hair caught back in a hasty twist, a happy baby dandled on her hip. I noticed how they smiled at one another, how they laughed together, how happy the children seemed.

As I reflected on these two families, I remembered Proverbs 15:17 which says, "A bowl of vegetables with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate." The first time I was introduced to this verse was at a friend's wedding. I must admit that I was a little amused by this very unconventional choice of Scripture reading for a wedding, but it didn't take me long to see the wisdom in it. Another friend put it this way recently: "Little is much when the Lord is in it."

Now, I don't know the financial situations of either family, so I am not judging on wealth or status. I am making observations on how each family presented itself. The first was so well put together, yet seemed so unhappy. The second family presented themselves very simply and casually, yet seemed so contented.

What is it that makes that "bowl of vegetables" seem as rich and satisfying as a choice steak? It is the seasonings of love and contentment. Even the best steak, if seasoned with strife and discontent, will taste dry and bitter, and be utterly unsatisfying.

As the Apostle Paul said, "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." (Philippians 4:12 NIV)

Whether your life holds little or much, whether you are sharing the simplest meals or the grandest feasts, remember that it is the seasoning you choose that makes them worth savoring.