# 420 - Today's Living Word comes from Mr 6:43,44 And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish. Now those who had eaten the loaves were about five thousand men.
Remember when your mom used to tell you to eat everything on your plate? Apparently not all people got that message as there were enough leftovers here to fill up another twelve baskets! Still, only twelve baskets after what is conservatively estimated as a crowd of 10,000....not bad!
This gathering of leftovers is not an unusual occurrence after a meal in this Jewish culture. This gathering of the scraps was in a sense an expression of thanksgiving. Because “bread” or food was rightly acknowledged as a gift from God.
I’m ashamed to think of how much food I toss in the garbage can every day, and how flippant and rote my table prayers are as I sit before a table that overflows with the goodness of God.
When I think of my own eating habits and the habits of Americans I see why we are so overweight. Maybe if we would adopt the attitude of Jesus toward food, that is, a deep appreciation of where it really comes from, we would be less likely to wolf it down and gorge ourselves. Maybe if we realized that the food from our tables could be cut off in an instant if God so chose, maybe we would be more thankful and less wasteful. Maybe giving heartfelt thanks and savoring our food would be the best diet of all!
I'm Duane Matz and that's Today's Living Word
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