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“Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
Luke 6:31
Today, as we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, we are going to take a look at what we see when we look around the Thanksgiving table. Sure we could talk about the beautiful golden roast turkey, our favorite stuffing, gravy, sweet potato and green bean casseroles, French apple pie and pumpkin pie… Makes you hungry just to envision such a feast. No– we’re not going to talk about festive holiday foods on the Thanksgiving table. Instead of talking about the savory foods we associate with being on the table on Thanksgiving, we are actually going to talk about the people we see as we look around the table. We’re going to be talking about the people we know very well—our families. Sure we’ve known them for a lifetime, but do we really know them?
So often we hear about the difficulties some have with their loved ones at the holiday table. Getting together for a meal with family may be such a challenge for some people, that they avoid holiday gatherings altogether or go with great hesitation. So why is it that Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings, in particular, seem to have such potential to bring out any undercurrents of disharmony that we may harbor towards others? Well…Who wants to be around people who are annoying, embellish their stories, are arrogant, demeaning, extremely negative, or a little too boastful? How about those who complain non-stop about their latest medical malady?
It may be, that the last thing you want to do is sit and talk with your aunt who offended you last year, or your cousin whom you haven’t spoken with in 3 years due to a falling-out. Do you really want to be with your annoying nephew, or hear Uncle Bob’s story for the 5th time in 2 years? Probably not. But you still go, year after year, to celebrate Thanksgiving with family anyway. So my question is this: why do you go? Could it be that you are led there by the Holy Spirit of Jesus? The truth is, no matter how you feel about going to Thanksgiving dinner, a lot can happen around the festive holiday table! It may even help you to grow in your faith by learning to accept your family members just the way they are. But how can that possible?
Family: Gotta Love ’em!
Well, for starters, it takes real patience and enduring fortitude to sit and have a meal with someone you don’t love as you should. You can love someone and not necessarily like them or their behavior at times. But that can change in an instant. We all just need to be loved. You know what they say: Family—“Gotta love ‘em!” And it begins with each of us, when we accept both ourselves with all our own failings, and we do the same for others. Judging others is a form of condemnation, and never, ever a good idea.
It takes kindness to quietly listen to that same story Uncle Joe seems to need to retell each year. It takes contagious joy to help someone else see that their life isn’t so bad, and help them to grow in optimism and perhaps even faith in God. It takes great courage and strength to stand up for the family underdog, and avoid any confrontations if things get heated.
Yes–there is much we can all learn at the Thanksgiving table. Oftentimes, it hinges on our own perspective. Maybe we need to be reminded that kindness begets kindness… and that the Bible tells us that we are all called, as Christians, to love one another. That means everyone.
Though Thanksgiving seems to be a holiday that focuses primarily on food, it’s really about giving thanks to God for all our blessings. So let’s switch gears a bit and take a quick look at our relationship with God with grateful hearts. Here are 4 scriptures from the Old and New Testament to remind us about the real importance of Thanksgiving–gratitude to God for all our blessings:
“I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.”
Psalms 69:30
“Enter his (God’s) 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.”
Psalm 100:1-5
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Philippians 4:6
“…Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Ephesians 5:20
A Little Kindness Goes a Long Way
Clearly, for some people, Thanksgiving can present quite a challenge; a mixed bag of emotions. But we need to remember, as we look around the Thanksgiving table this year, to treat others as we want them to treat us. We need to always try to be kind, and give thanks to God for all our abundant blessings that He provides through His mercy and grace. We don’t choose our family members, but we can, with God’s help, strive to build them up and try to always give others a pass. You never know what someone endures in their life. So always be as kind, respectful, and patient as possible. Regardless of how you may feel, always try to treat others as you want to be treated, and the rest will fall into place.
Perhaps this year we will all be able to be a little kinder, more patient, loving and forgiving, especially around the Thanksgiving table. For when you face your own imperfections, and we all have them, the people around you seem different. And by so doing, it is not them who will change; it’s you.
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
Colossians 3:17
Copyright 2022 | Adele M. Gill
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