Thanksgiving

I stumbled across a verse today in I Corinthians that is perfect to reflect on as we head into Thanksgiving week (and always). Paul writes his first letter to the Corinthians to address a LOT of sin going on in their chuch, and most, if not all, of that sin is caused by the Corinthian Christians' blatant pride and arrogance. And, yes, they were Christians, despite their immature behavior. Paul asks them why they would act like this when they have already been "washed...in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ" (I Cor. 6:11). Members of the church are getting into lawsuits with each other because of their selfishness and sin (I Cor. 6). Paul has to remind them that "knowledge puffs up, but love builds up" (I Cor. 8:1), because the Corinthians have "knowledge" to justify all of their sin.

But Paul asks them, "What do you have that you did not receive?" (I Cor. 47). Answer his rhetorical question for yourself. What do I have that I have not received? Nothing. Paul then asks, "If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?" God has given us EVERYTHING we have. Not only our possessions (the sofa on which I sit, the computer on which I type, the coffee I just drank, the bed I slept in for eight hours last night), but our talents, gifts, experiences, relationships, even the very breath we breathe each second of the day. God has given me EVERYTHING in my life, both tangible and intangible. Some these gifts in my own life that come to mind right now are the legs I use to run as I train for a half-marathon in January (not to mention the money to register for a half-marathon), the opportunity to go to grad school (for free!), the mind I use as I read for class, my ability to write, the gift of the new chuch we found and love in Scottsdale, the best friends in the whole world who faithfully stay in touch with me despite living in Seattle, Texas, and Africa, and my sweet husband and our quaint little apartment. These few things are simply an ounce, a mere drop, in the overflowing bucket of God's goodness in my life.

But why, like the Corinthians, do I "boast" as if I did not receive these gifts from God? Sure, I don't usually come right out and boast as most would think of boasting, but my attitude toward these things and my behavior during the day is that of boasting. I take for granted so many of God's gifts in my life. I act as if I deserve my home, my food, my husband, my schooling, my job, etc. Instead of having a constant attitude of thanksgiving for everything God has given me, I all too often act with an attitude of entitlement. If I work too much, too little, if my schooling keeps me too busy, if Micah does something that irritates me, I think I have the right to be upset or resentful or to complain about these things. I also have the audicity to judge others, to critique their work or their lifestyle, and deem myself superior to them, even if it's just in the most hidden places of my mind and heart. This, my friends, is boasting. I boast with my thoughts, actions, and attitudes every single day, when EVERYTHING I have, including life itself, is a gift from God.

And so I will leave you with the words of the ESV Study Bible editors:
"What do you have that you did not receive? If Christians repeatedly ask this of themselves, it will produce deep humility and thanksgiving."

I urge you to ask yourself  this question daily, not just at Thanksgiving, but the whole year through. I plan to do the same. Hopefully, we can become more humble, thankful receivers of God's grace, and paint a more beautiful picture of the Giver during our short time on earth.