Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart

By: American Decency Staff

One of the great things about Thanksgiving, besides the giving thanks and, of course the food, is the chance we have to look all the way back to the first Thanksgiving and its celebrants – the legendary pilgrims and their Wampanoag allies. 

Our Pilgrim forefathers, stepped off the boat in 1620, but not before forming and signing the first governing document of what would grow to be the United States of America, the Mayflower Compact. The purpose these separatists claimed in that founding document was, "for the Glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and the honor of our king and country.”

Our founders left an amazing example to follow as we go through our lives 400 years later in the culture that they pioneered.

In 2014, we certainly face different struggles than they did in 1620. Most of us aren't struggling with starvation and (justifiably) hostile natives; we're more concerned with the complexities of running a democratic super power – elections, human rights, voter fraud, immigration, etc.

Yet, as Nicole Russell mentions in her piece at the Federalist, "Eighty percent of humanity lives on less than $10 a day, and half of the world’s citizens live on less than $2.50 a day. The average Thanksgiving meal at home costs anywhere from $50 to $100…"

The only complaints that most Americans will have this Thursday is being too full, or that the Lions lost the football game.

If the Mayflower's pilgrims had much to be thankful for, we, their infinitely-wealthier-than-they-could-imagine offspring have much more.

This Thanksgiving then let us, in the spirit of the Mayflower and in the words of 1 Corinthians 29:11-13, keep this at the fronts of our minds.

^"Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.  Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.  And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name."

And let us continue in their heritage of purpose, "for the Glory of God and advancement of the Christian faith.”

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