WHAT MAKES THE COOK BETTER

Sitting and waiting for my food in that restaurant with the wonderful atmosphere of the smells of southern cooking, the warmth and scent of a wood fire, and the décor of nostalgia, I found myself contemplating a framed advertisement for a gas range. I’m guessing the ad was written to appeal to those who at that time still used wood burning ranges. I took note of it, not because the idea of a gas range appealed to me, but because of the ad’s title: “Miraculous New Gas Ranges Make Women Better Cooks.” Aside from how such an ad today would be considered stereotypical and discriminatory of the female gender, I was struck by its use of a widespread misconception: A better range will not make a woman a better cook. Oh, no doubt, the meals might turn out some better. But, the credit would have to go to the range’s being better, not the cook’s being better. If she were a bad cook with a wood-burning stove, she would be a bad cook with a gas range. Humanity has continually deceived itself with that misconception, that, if it can but improve its world, humanity will be better.. It cannot believe that there is something wrong with humanity and not just its world. Thus, humanity believes that advancements in education, technology, science, medicine, economy will make people better people. Yet, for all the advancements, people are still broken, flawed, damaged, and sinful. A better guitar will never make one without talent a good guitar player. The problem is not humanity’s environment, lack of knowledge, need of money, etc. The problem is humanity itself; each human him/herself. Humanity is fallen. Humanity is a bad cook and no amount of improving the range will improve it. Now there is something that can make a human better. A change: A change, not of the equipment, but of the cook herself. A change of heart, nature, mind, life. Open the NT, begin reading, and soon you will run across this announcement: “Miraculous New Birth Makes One a Better Person.” That I can believe.

WHAT MAKES THE COOK BETTER

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