I’d Rather Be A Dog

And when He had given thanks . . .

John 6:11

Rev. William Biederwolf once shocked his audience by saying, “I’d rather be a dog with gratitude enough to wag his tail . . . than to be a man with a soul so contemptibly mean as to sit down at the table three times a day and gulp down the food God has provided and never once lift my heart in thanksgiving.”

We might not put it like that, but the point is well taken. When Jesus told us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” He was teaching us dependence upon Him for daily provision (Matthew 6:11). Even our Lord paused to give thanks before breaking the bread in John 6.

“Saying grace” shouldn’t be a perfunctory act, and we shouldn’t use the same words each time. Try praying an original prayer at each meal. At breakfast: “Lord, thanks for giving someone enough wisdom to invent high-fiber cereal.” At lunch: “Lord, thanks for this food, but keep me from eating too much of it.” And at supper? Well, you could say, “Lord, I’d rather be a dog than fail to thank You for this meatloaf.”

Whatever words you use, learn to thank God for giving you this day your daily bread.