Thanksgiving is a great occasion for families to spend time together, share memories, make memories, catch up, and make up some unrealistic excuse for eating way more than we should. It is a day of parades, football games, board games, busy roads, afternoon naps, and looking through the Black Friday ads in hopes of grabbing that 95% off HDTV.
You know, though, I really think many miss the real significance of Thanksgiving. We tell our children to be thankful and that this is a day that we pause to give thanks for all we have. However, I believe we spend too much time thanking God for the STUFF rather than thanking GOD for the stuff. Did you get that? We place more emphasis on what we have rather than WHO gave us what we have. Maybe it’s our culture. Maybe it’s just a lack of authentic contentment.
I’m reminded of my first visit to Cachoeira, Brazil. This community is located about 2 hours west of Salvador in the mountains. The population of Cachoeira consists of runaway slaves from Salvador. Oftentimes, outsiders aren’t very welcomed into their communities, but we found things much different. They were a gracious group of people who lived lives of amazing thankfulness.
Do you want to know what surprised me most? As we worshipped with them, they were genuinely thankful to God and for His activity in their lives. When I say genuinely, I mean there was no pretense. They were more thankful for the GOD of the food and stuff than the FOOD ad STUFF given by God. They were more thankful for the GOD of their shelter and water than for the SHELTER and WATER given by God. It was such a refreshing perspective. I’m not saying they were ungrateful for the things God gave them, but I am saying their perspective was laser focused on the actual Giver of those gifts. It challenged my perspective and really altered my way of thinking.
Instead of asking yourself, “what am I thankful for today,” ask yourself, “who am I thankful for today?” Make this thanksgiving about WHO and not what. Psalm 107:1 says, “Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!”
One final bit of instruction for today………..EAT!