When Camp Food Is Gross: A Quiet Way to Thank God
Even your reaction to gross camp food can honor God. Through 1 Corinthians 10:31 and Paul's big 'whatever you do' to the church in Corinth, kids learn three simple moves for the dining hall when the tray in front of them is not their favorite.
For Parents
If your kid is heading to camp this summer, the dining hall is going to test them in a small but real way. A tray they did not pick, food they would never choose, and ten other kids watching to see how they react. This episode walks them through 1 Corinthians 10:31 and gives them three simple moves: a quick thank-you to God, no face and no comments, and hunting for one good thing on the tray. You don't have to teach it. Just ask them at dinner tonight what they're glad about on their plate.
The One Thing for the Ride
“Even how you handle gross food can be a way to thank God.”
Scripture
1 Corinthians 10:31
CSB
Key Takeaways
- Even how you handle gross food can be a way to thank God.
- Paul ended a long teaching about food with one big sentence: whatever you eat or drink, do it for God.
- The word 'whatever' covers the small stuff, even a plate you didn't pick.
- The way you handle a meal is bigger than the food itself, because the kids around you are watching.
- Anybody can complain about gross food. The kid who hunts for something to be glad about is the one who actually grows.
Try This Week
- The three-second-thanks move: before you eat, take three seconds and thank God for the food, out loud or in your head, especially when it looks weird.
- The no-face move: no comments, no mock-vomit noises. Just eat what you can. The other kids will follow whatever face you make, so be the kid whose face stays kind.
- The find-something-good move: find one thing on your tray you actually like and tell somebody at the table. 'These rolls are pretty good.' 'The fruit is fresh.'
Talk It Over
What's one food you don't love that you could try thanking God for the next time it's on your plate?
