One of the first steps responsible parents implement when raising children is to teach them to say please and thank you. When you hear children expressing themselves with those two expressions it is beautiful music to your ear. You know the parenting and the child are on the same page, and your respect for both is confirmed.
As we mature as adults and become “sophisticated,” we seem to loose our thankfulness as our dreams are not realized, we get hurt by others, as our plans are not fulfilled, as tragedy happens, as governments don’t do what we feel they should, as health issues arise... the list goes on and on.
As we prepare for Thanksgiving weekend, you have to wonder where the word “thanks” fits into our mindset in 2022. In our polarizing world of critique, negativism, attacks, criticism, finger pointing, and blaming, you have to wonder where the word “thanks” even begins to fit into our thoughts, our hearts, and our vocabulary. It all depends what lens we choose to look through.
Yes, there is a lot we can gripe about, especially how governments are run by the people we elected, or not run, or not run to our liking. Think about health care, taxes, environment, energy, education, infrastructure, criminal justice, agriculture, government waste, etc. You don’t need to have a PhD to poke holes and make fun.
As Canadians, would you rather move to Ukraine, Russia, some countries in the Middle East, Africa, or other hot spots in the world? As Canadians, let’s try and do something different this Thanksgiving weekend and just give thanks.
It is very easy to act like nine of the 10 men who had leprosy, and who called out to Jesus as is noted in Luke 17. Jesus healed all 10 but only one of the 10 thanked Him for the healing. We can be so fixed on what we think we want that we forget to give thanks for what we have.
If we can’t think of anything to give thanks for, then it is good to look into God’s word as it can be both challenging and encouraging to us. In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, he writes: “Be loving always: pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
As we know, that can be trying especially for health and grieving processes but helps to change our heart and attitude of mind.
As we celebrate Thanksgiving, let us give thanks for the incredible country that we live in and join with the Psalmist in giving thanks to the Lord, who wrote in Psalm 100, “Shout for joy in the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness: come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His: we are His people. The sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise: give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations."
May you enjoy your Thanksgiving Day and give thanks.
John Grady lives and writes in Fort St. John
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