In the blink of an eye, I have been living in the UK for nearly 11 months. From time to time, people have asked me if I have got used to or adapted to the life style here. Overall, I think I am quite an adaptable person. However, there is one thing that I still struggle with, it is the coffee in the UK.
I am not sure if it is because English people only have a short lunch break or they are not particularly demanding when it comes to the quality of food and beverage. It is rather difficult to find a cup of high quality coffee. When I think of the time I studied in Australia, we could randomly walk into any cafe and find a good cup of coffee. It was then I fell in love with coffee drinking.
When covid was at its height, I fortunately came to know “coffee ministry”. Through making a hand brewed coffee and using my coaching skills, I chatted to others over a cup of coffee. Coincidentally, my colleagues in church at that time also loved hand brewed coffee. After church meetings or work, we often gathered together to share our experiences and coffee tasting. One of my colleagues remarked that our ability to appreciate good coffee had been considerably heightened.
I believe no one would think anyone having a cup of “3 in 1 instant coffee” has good taste. However, in this “instant” generation, everyone is often too busy to take time to appreciate what they eat and drink. Some people even exaggerate by saying, “the only way people could savour all seven courses of French cuisine, is to condense the banquet into a health product tablet”. When we come together to make hand brewed coffee, we take time to carefully appreciate and distinguish the depth of taste. We will try to identify where the coffee beans come from, how the beans were roasted and ground as well as the temperature of the water and how it should be brewed. It takes time and a lot of practice before you can brew a good cup of coffee which has depth in taste.
Today, if we want to be a Christian who is full of flavour (the salt), with the right temperature (the light and love of Christ) and who is spiritually tasteful, then we certainly cannot apply this “instant culture” to our faith. Just like brewing a good cup of coffee, we need to appreciate every detail. We ought to try to face and respond to different situations according to the Truth. We need to reflect on Bible texts to understand what the author wished to convey to, remind or comfort those of his generation, as well as readers of our generation. Only then, will we be able to truly experience the Lord’s grace. Being tasteful in spirit, we must pursue a deeper spiritual life and endeavour to obey, and put into practice, the Lord’s teaching, spread the fragrance of our Lord and bless others through effective testimony.
Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. ( Psalm 34:8)
Rev Florence Wong