I remember it like it was yesterday. I was driving down the road, and my oldest daughter was in the car with me. She was ten at the time. As we were driving through the neighborhood, I noticed that she was being unusually quiet and observant. Finally, she spoke up and said, “Dad, I can't believe people are already decorating for Christmas. They are so rude.” “Why would you say that?”, I asked. She said, “People go crazy over Halloween, and as soon as that is over, they start decorating for Christmas, and they skip right over Thanksgiving.”
Then, she made a profound statement. She said, “But, what do we expect, people are so selfish that it makes sense that they would go all out for the holidays in which they get candy and presents, and they would skip right over the holiday in which they are to be thankful for what they already have. Of all the holidays, Thanksgiving is the most Biblical, don't you think.” I responded with, “Wow, you are wise beyond your years, and you are absolutely correct.” She said, “I know. There is no respect for the turkey. Respect the turkey people!”.
And just like that, the conversation was right back on a ten-year-old level.
I think about that conversation every November. To this day, I think my daughter was correct. People really do go all out for Halloween and Christmas, and if they were honest, they would admit they do so because they know they are going to get something. It is also true that people really do gloss over Thanksgiving, because once again if they were honest, they are not going to get anything. However, of all the “holidays”, Thanksgiving is by far the most Biblical, Passover notwithstanding.
The Bible is replete with commands to “give thanks unto God”
First of all, Halloween is not even Christian and has absolutely nothing to do with Christianity what so ever. Therefore, it should not even be considered a holiday. For more information on that fact, please read a previous blog entitled, “Thoughts on Halloween”.
Secondly, Christmas seems to be a man-made holiday with not much Biblical support. Think about it. Matthew and Luke both record the events of Christ’s birth. However, outside of those two accounts, we never read again that the birth of Christ was celebrated again.
Thanksgiving is different. The Bible is replete with commands to “give thanks unto God”. The Bible commands us to be “thankful at all times, and in all things”. It is the Bible that reveals to us just how much we really do have to be thankful for.
Thanksgiving is important. God commanded that we give thanks. Therefore, it is for our good to be thankful. So, in the busyness of the holiday hustle and bustle, don’t gloss over Thanksgiving. In the words of my daughter, “RESPECT THE TURKEY PEOPLE!”