From the diaper stage to middle age, the baby boomer generation has impacted society. Now nostalgia is setting in, bringing back favorite old television commercials.

This means that television has come of age, as well. What has it replaced? Books, family hour, quiet times, even time to think— to name a few— and Dinner Talk. Do you remember those times in the fifties, when the family still ate dinner together, every night? Then, long after the last bite of strawberry shortcake was savored, the dinner conversation would continue.

Dinner talk is not just an anomaly from the fifties. Conversation as a teaching modality between parents and children has presided at mealtime for generations. Until now.

In today’s stressful society, everyone is seeking comfort. Here we are, surrounded by plush furnishings, super-abundance of delicious food, the latest electronic marvels, fancy cars, costly apparel, and every need met at the touch of a button. Still, something is missing.

What lack we yet? I draw comfort from those dinner talks decades ago. And from reading out of the best books— classics, and scriptures. We talked about politics, history, religion, science, literature, the arts. Perhaps there would be a Beethoven sonata playing on the phonograph. It was the most well-rounded “character education” a person could receive.

But the most precious part of those teaching moments is not expressed in words. There was never any question whether we would show up for dinner. Presence at the family dinner hour was a given— something almost sacred. I never had to worry if Mom and Dad would be there. And when it came to right and wrong, I always knew where they stood. That foundation gave me something solid to hang onto as I struggled through the years to maturity. It gave me a legacy to pass on to my children. But is it enough? For many, deep down, an unnamed hunger remains.

At the Meridian of time, people followed Jesus everywhere, irresistibly drawn to His message. Whether they were few or many, each walked away with that portion of the bread of life that fed his own soul, having connected at last with his divine heritage.

How did the Savior do it? With Parables. He broke bread with His friends. He fed them, taught them parables, and changed their lives. We call this “Dinner Talk.”

Dinner Talk is the archetype parable of the Savior’s ministry. It is the most natural, irresistible form of fellowship— and it builds lasting bonds. It is open to all, whether your table is set with tea and scones, torta y maté, or cookies and milk.

In homes where the Dinner Talk parable is a way of life, family and friends find refuge from cold indifference, or even hot hostility, in society. All find safety in the fellowship of the King.

Dinner Talk is the universal parable, a metaphor of enduring family unity that can comfort generations, long after we are gone.


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