This Thursday, Thanksgiving, is a day set aside particularly for giving thanks to God for:
●All we have.
●All the blessings we have received.
●All we have accomplished.
●All we have endured.
This day has a specific purpose — or at least it used to.
Is giving thanks what the day is still for? Yes. Is that what it is used for? Hmmm. Maybe not.
Weeks ago, I heard people planning to go shopping right after lunch on Thanksgiving; that’s when all the great sales begin. They plan to be out until the wee hours.
Many people plan to get in line early for Black Friday — the one day of the year retailers expect to make up for sagging sales the rest of the year.
I wonder if we will hear reports, once again, about angry, greedy people pushing and shoving in stores.
I wonder if we will hear reports about someone being trampled as the last big item is snatched up during a frenzy.
I wonder how many words of thanks will be uttered around tables that day.
Have you ever stopped to think that you might want something because someone else has convinced you that you just have to have a particular item?
Have you ever stopped to think that you have been masterfully manipulated by clever advertising?
Have you ever stopped to think that you already have plenty and do not need to be greedy for more?
The Bible tells us to give thanks to God for all his goodness. Jesus tells us to not store up treasures for ourselves on Earth, but to strive for God’s kingdom and his righteousness.
Alas, I fear those words will continue to fall on more and more deaf ears. But to those who will listen, be sure to give thanks for all the blessings you have received: friends, family, food, clothing, breath, the ability to love and be loved.
Do not worry about tomorrow, what you shall eat, what you shall drink, what you should wear. God knows your every need and cares for you.
May you have a happy day of giving thanks!
The Rev. Mark Broadhead is pastor at Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church of Crestview.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: BROADHEAD: Remembering Thanksgiving's true meaning