So what are some proper attitudes toward food? Here are my suggestions:
- Thankfulness toward God: I think this needs to be present every time we eat. I also think this goes beyond merely saying “Thank you for this food” at the beginning of a meal. I know that we won’t be conscious of God every time we take a bite (though that would be a nice goal), but we should be aware that everything that we have received is because of him.
- Thankfulness to those who made it possible for us to eat: This can be the one who cooked the food. Or set the table. Or gave us the job to earn the money to buy the food. Or any of a number of people. Our primary gratitude is to God, but we should also be thankful for the people in our lives.
- Awareness of what we’re eating: I’m a terribly fast eater. It’s a bad habit that I’d like to overcome. I want to learn to taste what I’m eating. To think about the flavors that God put in the food. I want to learn to savor and enjoy food, not because of quantity but because of what it is.
- Awareness of who we’re eating with: This goes back to Tuesday’s blog. We need to recognize the significance of eating with other people. And we do this by being aware of them as we eat.
- Awareness of those that lack: That’s one’s tough, and it might even cut into my enjoyment a bit. Hopefully it will curb my overeating a bit! I live in a country with an abundance of food, both in quantity and variety. Many would love to have either of those, let alone both. As I eat thankfully and thoughtfully, may I be aware of those who go without.
Those are my top five. Any comments on those? What would you add?
I especially appreciate #4. To my mind, there are few better ways to have fellowship with someone than over a good meal. I’m grateful that of all the things we do in our churches (and cycle through) in order to reach people, this one hasn’t changed much over the years. We still like to eat, and we still like to share it with other people!
Matthew,
I’ve done a Bible class entitled “Potluck Theology.” It goes over better than the one on fasting! :-)
Grace and peace,
Tim Archer
Funny how the food blog is the one that got me to comment. I particularly like sharing of food. It increases fellowship, overcomes greediness, allows me to make treats that would encourage gluttony without giving in to it and reduces calories. I would surely enjoy your class on potluck theology.
Thanks, Tim, for these thoughts. I want to print them out to post on my fridge. It’s a great reminder to me and my family of the kinds of attitudes we need to cultivate. Our teacher, whenever she prays at meals always prays, “and Lord, feed the hungry” which touches me and reminds me of how much we have.
This comes under #3 I think, and needs to be present when we are planning and purchasing food, as well as preparing it for consumption but we need to think “healthy”. Consuming unhealthy food on a regular basis is NOT honouring our bodies (God’s creation), nor our Christian journey (unhealthy bodies are not as productive in the work of the kingdom) nor God.
Actually, Wendy, that probably deserves to be a point of its own. I agree with your thoughts.
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