In the last decade the organic food movement has grown by leaps and bounds in America. Foods grown the old fashioned way, without pesticides, preservatives, and genetic modification are highly desired by those trying to improve their health and make the environment more healthy as well.
Almost every type of food and beverage can now be found with both organic or non-organic versions. The organic versions are usually a bit more expensive, but many are willing to pay more for a more natural source of food.
Soul food is characterized by it’s historical roots in African-American and Southern (southern United States) cooking. Items such as chicken fried steak, fried chicken, hog jouls (similar to bacon), chitlins (pork intestines), collard greens, cornbread, and fried okra are examples of traditional soul food.
So organic soul food would be the above dishes prepared with ingredients that are from organic farms that do not use chemicals or genetically altered foods.
What about another kind of organic soul food – the kind that feeds our souls? What would THAT look like? Our souls are in need of good nutrition on a regular basis just as our bodies need good sources of health promoting foods.
But our American culture has gone downhill in spiritual health as well as physical health. We can either ignore their need for spiritual enrichment altogether, or else substitute “spiritual junk food” for the spiritual food that they actually need.
Instead of attending a local church in our community, we settle for TV or online services, and often at sporadic times rather than consistent weekly fellowship. Instead of reading our Bible or other original sources for ourselves, we read the opinions of others on a secondhand basis.
Instead of laboring in prayer, we expect the pastor or someone else to do our praying for us.
A soul food revolution is needed as badly in our spiritual lives as it is in our physical diets. 1st Peter 2:2 says, “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk of the word, that by it you may grow up into salvation.”
We need to take in the unfiltered Word of God for ourselves on a regular basis. We need to be on our knees ourselves in prayer. We need the first-hand experience of meeting with other believers as often as possible.
These things are the “organic” elements that will strengthen our faith. I know I need these things in my life, rather than the junk food versions that are so prevalent today.
Join me in the Soul Food Revolution This Week!
– Chaplain Brian