LET us take a look into the barn where Teddy keeps his five dogs, and watch him at breakfast-time feeding them. How well he has them trained, for he can mix up their food tor them, and cook it in the big kettle, and then pour it into the shallow tub; but they must not eat it till he tells them to do so. One of them is just about to put his nose down into the tub, but Teddy says, holding up his finger,
“Rover, you have patience, and wait till I tell you.” All the others are holding back, and waiting for the word, “Now, go ahead.”
If dogs can be trained to have patience, and not eat their food till they are told to do so, how much more should little children not rush at their food before thanks is given to God who provides all things for us.
There was a little girl about eleven months old who was sitting at her grandpa’s table. Something caused a delay in beginning supper, and she had learned that she should not begin to eat till thanks. had been given to God who had provided us with the food, so she said to her grandpa,
“May men, Bampa.”
She was hungry, and wanted to start to eat, and knew that when thanks had been given, that it was closed with “Amen”, and then she could eat.
The dogs don’t know anything about giving God thanks, but they have been taught patience, and that they must wait till they are told to eat.
Not only little ones are impatient, but older children, too. Sometimes they want things that someone else has, and they get impatient or get angry. Such need to learn patience.
ML 11/22/1925