Simple Diet
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laws of health; but Christians should take their position in regard to
these things, and exert their influence in the right direction. They can
do much in reforming these fashionable, health and soul-destroying
customs.
The Ministry of Healing, 47
It was by a miracle of divine power that Christ fed the multitude;
yet how humble was the fare provided,—only the fishes and barley
loaves that were the daily fare of the fisherfolk of Galilee.
Christ could have spread for the people a rich repast, but food
prepared merely for the gratification of appetite would have conveyed
no lesson for their good. Through this miracle Christ desired to teach
a lesson of simplicity. If men today were simple in their habits, living
in harmony with nature’s laws, as did Adam and Eve in the beginning,
there would be an abundant supply for the needs of the human family.
But selfishness and the indulgence of appetite have brought sin and
misery, from excess on the one hand, and from want on the other.
Jesus did not seek to attract the people to Him by gratifying the
desire for luxury. To that great throng, weary and hungry after the
long, exciting day, the simple fare was an assurance both of His power
and of His tender care for them in the common needs of life.
Testimonies for the Church 6:345
Christ has given in His own life a lesson of hospitality. When
surrounded by the hungry multitude beside the sea, He did not send
them unrefreshed to their homes. He said to His disciples, “Give ye
them to eat.”
Matthew 14:16
. And by an act of creative power He
supplied food sufficient to satisfy their need. Yet how simple was the
food provided! There were no luxuries. He who had all the resources
of heaven at His command could have spread for the people a rich
repast. But He supplied only that which would suffice for their need,
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that which was the daily food of the fisherfolk about the sea.
If men were today simple in their habits, living in harmony with
nature’s laws, there would be an abundant supply for all the needs of
the human family. There would be fewer imaginary wants, and more
opportunity to work in God’s ways.