prayer before meal

[forgiven2]

I've got a question. We went to a dinner today given by a doctors cancer group. It was supposed to start by 12:30pm. There were salads on the table. I knew there would be a prayer because we went last year and a nice Christian prayer was given.
I was a little surpised as the doctors are Indian. I don't know if they are Christians or just respect our culture.
People were getting ready to eat their salads and I said I wasn't going to eat until after the blessing. Now maybe that was rude but I knew how embarrassed I was last year after everyone had eaten their salads and then the one who delivered the blessing said let us pray before eating. Now we had already said a prayer before we ate our salads last year, but I still was uncomfortable because most people didn't know that we did. We are always very discreet while in a group.
My husband went ahead and said a prayer and ate his salad. I wouldn't do it.
He said they told him in Bible college that eating a salad wasn't eating a meal and it was ok to eat a salad without saying a prayer.
I'm not trying to start a battle. We already decided to disagree as no one wanted to get in an argument. I just would like others opinions. Is it a regional thing, where something is proper in one area and not in another. Or am I all wet? You will not hurt my feelings. I just want to do what's right.
If I hadn't known there would be a blessing, I wouldn't have thought anything of it.
Thanks

[nChrist]

Hello Sister Billie,

I think that the easiest answer for a Christian is to simply bow their heads and have their own prayer.

It's hard to say on the event you described whether someone just forgot or they came from a culture where it wasn't customary to thank GOD before eating. In many of the religions of the world, they wouldn't even believe in GOD, so I would prefer to have my own prayer anyway than someone trying to stand up and fake it.

For Christians, I wouldn't consider prayer to be regional or national. Most Christians I know would pray and give thanks wherever they were in the world. If someone didn't appreciate us bowing our heads and giving thanks before eating, that would be too bad. So, I would probably come closer to offending someone than you would. I wouldn't be talking about a real loud prayer - just a normal prayer that Christians have around a table before eating.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Ephesians 3:14-19 NASB  For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

[Brother Jerry]

What BEP said.

I personally would also ask the blessing before the salad as well.  For me it is a thanking of God for all of the food and not just the main course.  We say the blessing even before eating the chips at a Mexican place as well...so I am sure going to do it before the salad

[Soldier4Christ]

I also agree with what Brother Tom said. Give thanks in all that you do.


1Co 10:30  For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?
1Co 10:31  Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

1Th 5:18  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

[forgiven2]

 we always pray before meals. The person asking the blessing was a spirit filled Christian and gave a wonderful prayer. I'm sure it was heartfelt and those who were not Christians were probably very uncomfortable. She gave glory to God for the healing that she and others had received.
And the main question I was asking is if most people thought that salad was the beginning of the meal. I always pray when others are praying so what is the purpose of praying before they pray?

[Soldier4Christ]

Before the others or with the others or both. The more we pray the better. I would say give thanks for any and all that we eat.

[nChrist]

Sister Billie,

I apologize for reading more into the question than what you intended. I was thinking about the connection to Eastern religions.

I would say give thanks for everything, and I wouldn't care if the prayer was duplicated later. I think that the most important thing is for all Christians to know that all good things we have come from GOD and to always be thankful.

In a very GENERAL way, I think that many Christians are the quickest to pray when they need GOD'S help and slower to pray when thanks should be given. I'll include myself in this general statement, but this general statement is not intended for any others on the forum.

Love In Christ,
Tom

1 John 1:3 NASB  what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.

[forgiven2]

I just kinda thought that if we had prayed and ate the salad there would have been people who didn't see us and that it would be rude since I knew they were going to give a nice Christian prayer.
Last year, I didn't know any better. I didn't know if there would be a prayer. And I was soooo surpised at it. Its over with now, but I still didn't feel right about doing it.