This week is Thanksgiving, so it seemed appropriate to talk about giving thanks. Oftentimes when we think about sitting around the table at dinner time, we go around the table and say what we’re thankful for.
While I have done and enjoyed this many times with my family, I read somewhere that perhaps this year it could be done a little differently. I cannot remember where I saw this so I can’t share the link, but I’ll share the gist of it with all of you.
The article talked about how when we say, “I’m thankful/grateful for…” it is usually followed by the word “my”. What that does is it makes the entire thing you are talking about both very personal and very possessive. While neither are wrong, they do make it about “me” and not necessarily about more than oneself.
The article suggested using phrases like, adding the word ‘when’ instead of talking about ‘what’ which is what we typically do. Then it becomes about a memory and about something that happened rather than a specific object or person. Memories tend to include more people and probably includes those at the table and beyond.
Another possibility is to be thankful “to”. We see often in the book of Psalms that people are thankful to God for many things. Then you are giving praise to God for God’s actions. We see in Psalm 9:1 that the psalmist gives thanks to God and promises to tell of God’s wonderful deeds. It’s not about the psalmist giving thanks and praise but about God and what God does. Psalms 106, 107, and 118 all speak of giving thanks to God for God’s unfailing love. Paul gives thanks to God for the people in Corinth for the grace they received…and much more in 1 Corinthian 1:4-9.
Now I am in no way advocating doing away with possible Thanksgiving traditions of saying what you are thankful for this Thanksgiving. I think these traditions are great and connect you to your family no matter where you are or when you are. Maybe while you are doing that or at another time also think about when there were times you were thankful and make it about experiences and then make sure to give thanks to the one who is the reason we are able to give thanks in the first place. Give thanks to the God who blesses us with all the blessings we have in this life which allow us to be thankful. Give thanks to the one who made the harvest possible and to the farmers and everyone between us and the farmers that made these meals possible.
And give thanks to God knowing that one day there will be a time when we don’t have to worry about people who aren’t able to give thanks for a meal sitting before them. In the meantime I give thanks to God for the generosity and abundance that was poured out in the Bag’n Hunger food that was collected. Thanks be to God for the generous hearts of Bethlehem to make food available for those who may have gone hungry.
Blessings,
Pastor Brian
Pixel Pastor 