Happy Thanksgiving!
Posted on November 26th, 2009
What does it mean to be thankful? Most dictionaries give the definition this way: “feeling or expressing gratitude; aware and appreciative of a benefit; grateful some even go further and add a couple of more synonyms – beholden, obliged. The definition of thanksgiving is mostly given thus: the act of giving thanks; grateful acknowledgment of benefits or favors, esp. to God.
Thinking about the definition sort of begs a question doesn’t it? What are we thankful for? Who are we to being thankful to? Who are we beholden or obliged to?
Small-minded atheistic bigots may think that I am simply trying draw your attention to one deity or the other. And indeed, I am unashamed to recognize that ALL that I have to be thankful for is directly or indirectly due to the Christian God and His grace upon me and His common grace upon the world. But this is not my primary purpose in writing today. Too often we call ourselves “giving thanks” and “being thankful” and feel a temporary warm-fuzzy about ourselves. But deep down we know that nothing really has been said but words, words that soothe the conscience but never heals it.
Just saying “I’m thankful” is not enough. The words “thankful” and “thanksgiving” demand both a benefactor and a benefaction… a giver and a gift.
Sometimes we do say what we are thankful for, but does that really complete the proper thought of thankfulness? I could say, “I am thankful for my new boat”, but in my heart credit myself for working hard to earn the money to buy it. Is this thankfulness at all? No! It is a soothing self deception that perverts the true meaning of thankfulness.
We need to apply some introspection and consciously determine who deserves the thanks for a gift we have received and ascribe that credit. This will not only serve to heal our conscience, but will also encourage the benefactors to know that their sacrifice on our behalf is appreciated.
Tell me your TO and FOR of your thankfulness.
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