They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor, their righteousness endures
forever; their horn will be lifted high in honor.
– Psalm 112:9
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday (except for Easter). It holds a special place in my heart. Valerie and I started our married life serving the Union Church in Bogota, Colombia. We were far from home, serving a congregation of people who were also far from home. Summer holidays and Christmas found our congregation scattering to their homes in the United States, Canada, and the rest of the world. But Thanksgiving found the expatriate community gathered in a place far from home and our traditions.
Our Thanksgiving Service was the event that brought our community together. The Ambassador read the President’s Thanksgiving Proclamation, and our special guests were the Ambassadors and diplomats of our allies and members of the Colombian government. Our guests were amazed at the reverence our people had for a grateful heart. It was the first time it dawned on me that most countries do not have a holiday of Thanksgiving.
When God delivers people from great trials and tribulations, that people respond in thankfulness. Whether our families are native to our land or immigrants of months or years, decades, or centuries, we acknowledge that we are not the source of our abundance. Since our abundance is not ours, the great gift of Thanksgiving is in sharing that abundance.
As we come into this Thanksgiving Season, let us consider the ways we can share our abundance. We can extend our table, give a gift, and share our hearts. Those who scatter gifts express a thankful heart.
