Thanksgiving - Pt. 1

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet. (Acts 4:32-37 ESV).

 

I am aware that this is still October and we are a month away from Thanksgiving. However, it seemed appropriate to do a few devotionals surrounding the theme of giving thanks and sharing our blessings with others. Let me begin at the beginning of our national holiday. The driving force behind making Thanksgiving a national holiday was Sarah Jospeh Hale, who was born in 1788 in Newport, New Hampshire. After her husband’s death, Hale turned to writing to generate money. Her novel Northwood: A Tale of New England (1827) included an entire chapter devoted to a Thanksgiving dinner. Its publication brought Hale fame, and she ended up as editor for Godey’s Lady’s Book, the most influential women’s magazine in the pre-Civil War era. For seventeen years Hale campaigned to proclaim the last Thursday in November Thanksgiving Day. Hale encouraged other magazines to join the quest of making Thanksgiving a national holiday, and many published Thanksgiving-related stories, poems, and illustrations. During the Civil War, Hale redoubled her efforts. A few months after the North’s military victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg in the summer of 1863, President Abraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday in November a national day of thanksgiving. Every president since has proclaimed Thanksgiving Day a national holiday.

 

As you read today’s text and think about the stories and experiences of Thanksgiving, It seems impossible to conceive of a time with everyone agreeing and sharing all things in common. First, allow me to be quick to say that a desire for unity in our relationships does not mean everyone has to think exactly the same way. Abraham Lincoln was right when he observed, “When two people agree on everything, only one of them is thinking.” The believers were united in their thinking that none should do without what another could provide. There were no needy persons among them as they shared their possessions. But if we keep reading in Acts, we learn quickly that this way of living soon spoiled. We still struggle to agree with one another and to share from our material possessions.

 

We need to realize the impact we have on others when we disagree in such a disagreeable manner as we see today. It’s important to join fellow believers in making an impact in a world that sees Christians as anything but “one in heart and mind.” A place to begin is by heeding Jesus’ command that we love God and neighbor with heart, soul, and mind. Surely that is the principle that ought to guide our conversations and actions.