Not a Holiday or An Attitude

This week, our nation celebrates my very favorite holiday. It is not “marred” by some of the manmade legends and superstitions of other holidays. Neither has it (yet) become commercialized as much as other holidays.

Thanksgiving, at least in our family, is a day that loved ones get together and enjoy some time together. There are no gifts to be exchanged. There are, at least in most families, no elaborate ceremonies or rituals. People who love one another get to relax (except for those who spend hours cooking), share memories, make memories, and, hopefully, spend some time expressing gratitude to God for the blessings we have. 

During this season, it is not uncommon to be reminded that thanksgiving should not be relegated to a holiday that is celebrated only once a year. We are told that we need to have “an attitude of gratitude” every season and every day of the year.

Usually, this idea is presented as what might be called a helpful suggestion. We are told that our families would be better; our relationships with others would be enhanced; the atmosphere in our workplaces would improve; and that we would even feel better about ourselves if we had this “attitude of gratitude.” 

I would like to challenge the thinking of all of us – including me. What if we started thinking of thanksgiving in terms of something more serious than a helpful suggestion? What if we considered it as a command that our Lord expects His followers to carry out?

The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write the following words in Romans 6:3-4:

Know ye not, that so many of us who were baptized into Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Now, please consider some things that the same apostle, inspired by the same Holy Spirit wrote to those who had been “risen with Christ” (Col. 3:1). How many of the following things from Colossians 3 sound like “helpful suggestions” to you? 

• “Put off all of these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth” (v. 8)
• “Lie not to one another” (v. 9)
• “Put on, therefore, as the elect of God… bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another and forgiving one another, …charity…” (vs. 12-14)

Again, I invite you to read those words in their original context. When you do, I believe that you will find that these have the force of commands that are to be obeyed by those who truly follow Jesus.

If that is the case, what is the force of these words?

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which ye also are called in one body; and be ye thankful” (Col. 3:15, emphasis added).

Is it dangerous for people to fail to be thankful? Do you remember all of those despicable things about which Paul wrote in Romans 1? Do you remember that he wrote that “…they which commit such things are worthy of death…” (v. 32)?

Do you remember where their “downward spiral” began?

“…(W)hen they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful…” (Rom. 1:21).

It is true that my earthly relationships would improve as I improve in the area of gratitude. It is also true that my feelings about myself would also improve.

All of that pales in comparison with the thought that my eternal destiny may be determined, in some measure, by whether or not I see thanksgiving as a holiday, an attitude, or a command.

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AUTHOR: Jim Faughn