Grain feeds man and beast daily

Grass-eaters (from termites to elephants) far outnumber leave- and meat-eaters. Humans and livestock consume most of the grain (grass seeds) produced globally.

The most popular grains are corn, wheat, rice, barley, oats, and sorghum. Grains contain carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and fibre. Grains are the staple food in most countries.

Most people start their day with bread or cereal. Many have a sandwich for lunch. Dinner usually includes rice, corn, bread, or pasta. Grains are processed into flour, cereal, bread, buns, pasta, crackers, cornstarch, and sweetcorn.

Prehistoric humans ate fruit and grains because these were easy pickings. As they walked from place to place, they could strip seeds from grass on the go. When they started to settle, they planted grass seeds to provide food year-round.

In North Africa and Israel, seeds of the durum plant are ground into semolina from which couscous pasta is made. When stew is too watery, adding couscous pasta will absorb excess water fast, retaining the nutritious gravy.

Bread occurs 325 times in the Bible, and loaf or loaves 37 times, about one per day – daily bread. Manna was the most famous bread, given from heaven every morning, except on the Sabbath. Fridays they picked up a double portion (Ex. 16). Jesus said the manna pointed to him, the true bread from heaven, stilling the spiritual hunger of believers (John

6).

Several parables of Jesus referred to bread or seed. He included bread in his model prayer and Holy Communion. He multiplied bread for thousands of people twice. He told the devil that man shall not live from bread alone but from God’s word, too.

By presenting himself as the bread from heaven, Jesus gave deeper meaning to the plea: “Give us today our daily bread.” It comprises more than physical food. This plea underlines our need to be fed spiritually by Christ every day. The Lord’s Supper also makes the connection between eating the bread and taking Christ into our hearts.

Grain-producing plants are the most productive plants on earth. One corn seed multiplies to over 600 on the cob. It takes a plant five to eight feet tall to produce one cob.

One grain of wheat turns into a plant with about three stalks, each producing about 30 seeds. God is still multiplying grain to feed more than eight billion people globally. Because this process is part of nature, we miss the miracle behind it.

Apart from human consumption, animals consume large amounts of grain in feedlots for cattle, pigs, poultry, and sheep. These animals are eventually also consumed by mankind.

We are dependant on grain in original and processed form, as well as indirectly by the grain-fed animals we eat.

Jacob Van Zyl of Lethbridge is a retired counsellor and the author of several faith-based books.