Should the ancient practice of saying grace at meals be continued in this pressure-packed, sophisticated society? Protestants in growing numbers are abandoning this form of public worship. Studies have shown that during the 1930s and 40s there was a marked decrease in family worship, including saying grace at meals. The early 60s saw a resurgence in giving thanks at home but a definite decline in doing so in public. Often children seem willing to pray in a restaurant but the parents are ill at ease (Families in the Church: A Protestant Survey, pp. 35, 185).
Christ believed in saying grace and practiced it publicly. The practice has long served as a hallmark of dedication; if a person wants to be recognized as a Christian, few actions will establish his identity more quickly.
The Old Testament has a very clear command about giving thanks at mealtime: “When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee” (Deut. 8:10). This was to be the Israelites’ attitude as they possessed the new land; they were not to take for granted God’s blessing on his chosen people.
In time the practice of giving thanks for food became complicated and stiflingly rigid. The people developed certain formulas of prayer for fruits of the trees, other formulas for fruit of the ground, for breads, for vegetables, for milk, and so on. Deciding what prayer to use for something as complex as fruitcake must have caused endless debate.
The example set by Jesus Christ in the New Testament is direct and simple. There are accounts of three occasions on which Christ paused to give thanks before eating, and we can assume this was his regular practice.
1. Feeding the multitude (Mark 8:6–9). Jesus gave thanks for the loaves and blessed the fish. Mark 6:41 reports the same procedure with another crowd.
2. Celebrating communion (Mark 14:22). Christ blessed the bread and gave thanks for the cup.
3. Eating with disciples after the resurrection (Luke 24:30, 31). With the two disciples near Emmaus he blessed the bread before distributing it.
The New Testament epistles mention thankfulness and food several times, but these passages seem to say more about attitudes of the heart than actual forms or methods (i.e., 1 Tim. 4:3–5; 1 Cor. 10:28–31).
After considering these various passages, the Christian must ask himself whether the Scriptures present the practice of giving thanks for food as a command or as an optional practice.
Just how widespread this practice was among the early Christians is uncertain. Outside the Scriptures, two writers—Clement of Alexandria and Tertullian (c. 190)—mention that believers offered prayer, praise, and readings before they ate and read psalms and sang hymns afterwards.
Today, although spoken grace before the meal is the most common form, some people sing their table grace, while others give thanks after eating as prescribed in Deuteronomy 8:10. Part of the solution for those who are bored with daily and often empty repetition may be to vary methods of engaging in this form of worship.
Those who say grace should know why they do so. It is wrong either to thank God or not merely because of social pressure. For Christians to bow and pray simply because other Christians demand or expect it is false. And to refrain from giving thanks because of the presence of unbelievers is equally delinquent. True worship must operate on a level above the crowd.
Some reasons for saying grace are:
1. Habit. In all probability many Christians tilt their heads and close their eyes before eating almost as a reflex action. They give it little thought. Habits are not bad; however, one must ask whether rote worship has any validity. If the practice is mindless, then it needs some ventilation and revival.
2. Thankfulness. Many Christians are very aware of their dependence on God and of the many undeserved blessings they receive. The believer who prays purely from a full heart can be sure he is doing what is right. Genuine gratitude will find a way to express itself and needs no laws.
3. Witness. Saying grace as a testimony of allegiance to God appears to be effective. First, it can be a source of blessing and encouragement to other believers. Seeing someone in a restaurant or an office lunchroom bow his head in reverence encourages other Christians present. And it might lead to conversation and Christian fellowship. A person who is in the service or in a new job or school and is searching for Christian friendship may find that saying grace signals other believers to search him out and identify themselves.
Saying grace can also serve as a witness to the unconverted. This willingness to be different may signify dedication, and in all probability the observing non-believer will feel respect rather than scorn. Paul Little in How to Give Away Your Faith suggests that Christians tactfully explain to an unsaved meal companion what they are doing, being careful not to sound superior or self-righteous.
4. Training. Many parents are faithful in saying grace at each meal as a continual reminder that God is part of the family’s daily life. The warning that must be flashed at this point is that parents may be conveying the opposite impression to their children. If they routinely utter the same lifeless words at each meal, the children may see the habit as empty and hardly worth perpetuating. If the practice is to train well, it must be rich with honesty. Vary the methods: sing, take turns, let each one express one thing for which he is thankful. Avoid the repetition of thoughtless words.
A passage that probably has as much significance as any is Zechariah 7. The people said, We have fasted all during the Exile; now that it is over, do we still have to fast? The reply was, Why did you fast? If you fasted just for form, give it up. But if it was a form of worship, keep it up.
If saying grace is a meaningless ritual, why bother? If it is a sincere expression of gratitude—right on!
AN X, A BIRD, A BOAT TURNED UPSIDE DOWN
An X, a bird, a boat turned upside down
Draw You, and drawing us to You,
Draw the mostly unknown
Down, and nearly into view,
Although the light is dim and flickers far too much.
Our sight
Is not enough … And yet some say
That we may reach
And (very lightly) touch …
We see
An X, a bird, a boat turned upside down.
HENRY HUBERT HUTTO
William L. Coleman is pastor of Sterling Evangelical Mennonite Church in Sterling, Kansas. He has the B.A. (Washington Bible College) and M.Div. (Grace Seminary).
