According to research, families that eat together regularly are more likely to have children who do not engage in risky behaviors like substance abuse, delinquency, sexual activity and are less likely to experience depression and suicidal thoughts. They also tend to have better academic performance and higher self-esteem.

Example source for this statement is the National Institutes of Health

Please recognize this statement DOES NOT SAY, families that eat together regularly DO NOT have children who DO NOT engage in risky behaviors like substance abuse, delinquency, sexual activity and DO NOT experience depression and suicidal thoughts. They also ARE ALWAYS better in academic performance and have higher self-esteem.

It is merely a marked indicator that all families tend to do better when they eat regularly together. Why? Here is the quick hit list I have gathered:

Eating together provides:

• Time for open conversation
• Sense of belonging or team like atmosphere
• Leads to discussion about schoolwork and support that can be offered
• Feeling valued improving confidence

I want to come at this science and add biblical support to this stat. Communal activity is completely biblical.

Jesus set this up for us in the upper room with the disciples in what we call the Lord’s supper.

Acts 2:46-47 NIV

⁴⁶ Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

As I continue to study the books of Acts, the commentator we rely heavily on discusses the differences between unique experiences and normative experiences. For me, I tend to have the unique experiences. I don’t get to tell you why, it just is. My Jesus moments tend to have shazam in them. Often, my thinking and my experiences tend to be “outside the box.” I will use my writing here at Give Your Story as a primary example. If you need to understand more about my unique thinking and experiences, it is written all over the place here at Give Your Story. That is not a statement of bragging, just read. It’s different, isn’t it? It’s not normal. Here is a place to get you started if you need to read more: A Miraculous Encounter on the River. Often my experiences are for me, profound and pronounced.

However, my wife is of the variety of what you would consider normal. We often use the word vanilla to describe her experiences in our conversations. Her rebellion, we joke? Marrying me. I am the sprinkles. For her, she grew up with just, Jesus was the savior. Jesus was and always is there. The Word is found in the bible and we are to strive to be more like Him. Simple stuff.

Is there one way better than the other? NOPE. It is set up for each of us by God. I can’t answer the why any better than anyone else can. It just is.

God manifests himself to each of us-one-all having their own personal experience with Him.

I will say this: People tend to be more cautious of the unique experience. FAIR. However, what if I told you that Satan attacks me with bipolar and with my obedience and God’s mercy, God gives me the strength to transform that thinking into what I write her at Give Your Story? Scripture supports both normative and the unique experience.

Returning to the concept of eating together: Notice the statement DID NOT SAY, You must be a Christian in order to have children who do not engage in risky behaviors like substance abuse, delinquency, sexual activity and are less likely to experience depression and suicidal thoughts, who also tend to have better academic performance and higher self-esteem.

However, when families eat together regularly and include prayer together, share together and praise Him together, they are fellowshipping with God. The Spirit is present, and families are more likely, to have children who do not engage in risky behaviors like substance abuse, delinquency, sexual activity and are less likely to experience depression and suicidal thoughts. They also tend to have better academic performance and higher self-esteem.

Do you see the difference? Regardless if you are Christian or not, families that eat together regularly are more likely to have children who do not engage in risky behaviors like substance abuse, delinquency, sexual activity and are less likely to experience depression and suicidal thoughts. They also tend to have better academic performance and higher self-esteem.

However here is the difference for the Christian. The Spirit is present when you fellowship with God.

You want my opinion?

I think this tips the scales more in favor of the following: families that eat together regularly and include prayer together, share together and praise Him together, they are fellowshipping with God. The Spirit is present, and families are more likely, to have children who do not engage in risky behaviors like substance abuse, delinquency, sexual activity and are less likely to experience depression and suicidal thoughts. They also tend to have better academic performance and higher self-esteem.

Usually the difference means subtraction when we are talking math. In this case I think the difference is addition:

Science + God = God + Science

That’s the Difference!