Perhaps the purest and least commercialized of all of the major U.S. holidays is Thanksgiving. Sure, retail outlets and merchandisers use the Thanksgiving holiday as a launching pad for Christmas sales. Sure, turkey farmers and grocery stores benefit in a huge way from the tradition of feasting on Thanksgiving Day. Sure, there is the Macy’s Parade and an ample selection of college and professional football games to watch on TV. But in comparison to all of the other major holidays, the idea of Thanksgiving seems to naturally provoke a spirit of reflection on the many blessings that are ours in this life. It’s almost uncanny, even families who never pray together often set aside the time to do so on the fourth Thursday of every November.
To state the obvious, the word “Thanksgiving” is a compound word made up of two words—thanks and giving. And while each of these two words has its own specific meaning, they are intentionally paired together for a purpose. The first should naturally lead to the second. In other words, as we contemplate the rich and bountiful blessings that have been given to us, it should cultivate a heart of generosity toward others.
THANKS
In the Bible there are three Hebrew words, one Aramaic word and six Greek words that translate “thank, thanks, thankful, thankfulness and/or thanksgiving.” Those words are used one hundred and thirty-nine times in the Bible. So, while there are multiple nuances of the word “thanks” in scripture, each points to the same basic idea which is “a heartfelt expression of gratefulness.” What a reminder that everyday should be Thanksgiving Day for the Christian. As we reflect upon the goodness of God and the undeserved blessings that are abundantly ours, it should drive us to our knees in gratitude.
The Apostle Paul rhetorically asked the arrogant, ungrateful church at Corinth, “What do you have that you did not receive?” (I Corinthians 4:7). Of course, the implied answer is “nothing.” James reminds us of that very truth when he says that “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow” (James 1:17).
Our life, our salvation, our church, our families, our friends, our homes, our possessions, our jobs, our health, and on and on we can go—all of it has been given to us by God. We are all so truly blessed.
In response, the Apostle Paul says, “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (I Thessalonians 5:18). It is God’s will that we not only “give thanks”, but that we “give thanks in everything.” In other words, in every circumstance of life we are to exhibit a heart of thanksgiving to God.
Paul repeats something very similar in Ephesians 5:20 when he says, “Always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father.”
Sadly, someone once said, “an atheist is a person who, when he feels grateful, has no one to thank.” But, of course, that is not the case for the Christian.
As Bible-believing Christians, we recognize that God is the giver of all good things and He is to be the recipient of our gratitude. Colossians 3:17 says, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”
GIVING
If you are still following me here, the natural response to our thanks should be giving. Thanks-giving.
Lest we forget, giving pleases God. In fact, 2 Corinthians 9:7 explicitly says, “The Lord loves a cheerful giver.” So, as we recognize with gratitude all that God has amply supplied to us, it should compel us to consider how we can then share what we have been given with others. And, we can be generous in our giving because of God’s promise to always “supply all of [our] needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
Consider the tremendous significance of God’s promise to us. It has enormous implications on how much we can give because God unequivocally and unconditionally promises to continually meet our every need.
While scripture doesn’t quantify how much we are to give to others, it does give us some valuable and practical principles to assist us. In rapid fire fashion, there are at least four helpful principles to lean on as we consider our giving. First, we are to be “systematic” in our giving (I Corinthians 16:2). Second, we are to be “proportionate” in our giving (I Corinthians 16:2). Third, we are to be “eager” in our giving (2 Corinthians 9:7). And then fourth, we are to be “generous” in our giving (I Corinthians 9:6).
In reality, God is the owner of everything (Haggai 2:8; Psalm 24:1) and we are to simply be faithful stewards or managers of what He has entrusted to us (I Corinthians 4:2).
So, this Thanksgiving Day, as we sit down together with our family and/or friends and we stare at that turkey and all of the trimmings, perhaps we will be reminded and challenged anew at how we can be a better thanker and a better giver.
Thanks and giving—two inseparable and practical expressions of the heart of every committed follower of Jesus Christ.