Bible study : table manners and christian parenting

Bible study : table manners and christian parenting

Posted on December 21, 2008

By Pastor E. AdebOYE

EATING HABITS
Memorise: “And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite” (Proverbs 23:2)
Read: Proverbs 23:6-8

There is this adage that ‘A child may have as many clothes as an elder but he will not have as many rags as an elder’. This is simply saying that before an elder acquires his grey hairs, he would have passed through a lot. The baby pig said to its mother, “Why are you always making such a sound?” The mother pig replied, ‘When you are as old I am, you will know’.

In 1977, my father in the Lord came to spend some time with me in my little house in Ilesha. He was praying when we went to bed. When I woke up at midnight to ease myself, he was still praying. When we woke up in the morning, he was still praying. As a result, I started wondering what the problem was. Today, I understand better. Elders deserve your respect and honour because of what they have gone through in life.

Home training is a very vital tool in propagating the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Any believer who lacks it could pose a hinderance to the salvation of unbelievers. One thing that reflects whether you have been well trained or not is the way you eat at home and in public.

The fellow who cuts a chunk of eba or pounded yam as large as the head of a little child, and tries to swallow it at once, lacks home training. If you visit a house and the people there ask if you will eat: Your answer should be, ‘No’, even if you are dying of hunger. If they really want you to eat, they should set the table and invite you to join. Even at that, you should insist you are okay until they persuade you. When some people chew food, you would think a dog is eating faeces. You should be in silent mode while chewing.

When you eat outside your home, no matter how hungry you may be, never finish the food: always leave some remnants in the plate. When some people eat, you will be seeing the food in their mouth. That is bad manners. Some people do not know how to eat with cutlery. It may be required when eating in public. After eating, a well brought up person will say, ‘Thank you’ to elders present and those who provided the food.

The scripture says whatever you do, including your eating, should be to the glory of God. Let people see Christ in your eating.

The rags of an elder are the proof of his eldership. Several trials, tribulations and temptations a Christian has overcome are his spiritual rags. Which do you have?