Once upon a time not so long ago, the holiday of Thanksgiving that is uniquely an American holiday and a part of our heritage, was celebrated and observed in the context of its historical importance.
Regrettably, about fifty years ago, by my unprofessional estimation and opinion, a subtle and sinister scheme was launched or perpetrated to diminish and trivialize Thanksgiving that falls right between Hallowe’en and Christmas, as one of the major holidays of the year. In all actuality, this uniquely American holiday traces its origin back to William Bradford and the Pilgrims in 1674, as a day appointed for giving thanks for divine goodness, has been relegated to a place of insignificance retaining only its name as a sad reminder of how far our culture has drifted away from its Judeo-Christian foundation.
How in the world did we allow this to happen, especially we who profess a belief in the Bible and Jesus Christ?
As I see it, there are four basic reasons, that I will refer to as thieves, that I have been able to identify as being the conniving and complicit culprits who stole Thanksgiving in broad daylight, as we watched with our eyes wide open.
A Thief Called Commercialism
One of the primary thieves that have been a part of the trivializing of Thanksgiving has been commercialism. The desire to succeed and make a profit is an integral part of our capitalistic culture and economy. It is this desire that has commercialized both Halloween and Christmas, placing Thanksgiving in the middle of a great squeeze. Consequently, this holiday has been swallowed up or overshadowed by the others.
As I shopped in places like a big box store and mall the week before Thanksgiving, there was hardly any signs or advertisements that pointed to or promoted Thanksgiving.
Regrettably, as important as Thanksgiving is to our history and heritage, commercialism has all but relegated it into an icon and memory that few revere and respect in the way it was intended to be.
A Thief Called Materialism
If commercialism is the chief thief who stole Thanksgiving, materialism is its accomplice and offspring.
The preoccupation to have more stuff has fueled the engine of commercialism and spun days like Black Friday that only strengthens and confirms its almost absolute dominance over the holidays. I have had to recover myself from the hold of materialism and the spirit of covetousness on Thanksgiving Day leading up to Black Friday.
I wonder how many of us, especially we who call and consider ourselves as being followers of Jesus Christ, realize how hooked we are on materialism.
I wonder how many of us will be honest and admit that we have been duped, converted, and recruited into being a member of materialism’s band of thieves who are complicit in the theft and denigration of Thanksgiving.
A Thief Called Entertainment
There is another thief that is a member of the band of thieves who have been actively involved in the denigration and diminution of Thanksgiving. This thief is the master of entertainment and pleasure and uses it to strategically accomplish its role in the conspiracy against the observance of Thanksgiving.
Using things like football games and vacations, the day of Thanksgiving, that was originally designated to be a time of giving thanks to God for His goodness and provision, has instead been overshadowed and superseded by these and other pleasures, practices, and pursuits.
Once again I must confess that I have been guilty of diminishing the true meaning of Thanksgiving and only giving a token and superficial gesture toward the observance of Thanksgiving.
For quite a few decades now, I have been an enthusiastic fan of Thanksgiving Day professional football games. Thanks to the Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys, and a few other teams that joined them in the Thanksgiving Day football tradition a few years ago, many faithful fans of professional football who have made watching games on Thanksgiving Day a tradition will continue to be glued to their television on this day. They will continue to be avid fans of this American pastime.
Nevertheless, I hope that these avid fans of Thanksgiving Day football, as well as other forms of entertainment pursuits on this special day, will find a way to give some strong consideration of what we are discussing here and rekindle the fire for a return to a true observance and giving of thanks on this day.
A Thief Called
Apostasy
The final thief that has been a part of the band of thieves that have stolen and trivialized Thanksgiving in America is none other than the church and Christian community, for it has been our lack of true commitment and observance of this day that have caused the culture to do likewise.
How do we or can we expect people of the world who are not saved and do not know the Lord to honor Him on a particular day when we refuse to do it ourselves?
Before the church and Christian community can make an outcry or protest against the merchants and consumers of the culture and world for disrespecting, diminishing, and denigrating the Thanksgiving holiday, we must get the beam out of our own eyes that we might see clearly how to assist our neighbors in the removal of the speck from theirs.
The rightful observance of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter holidays are upon the shoulders of those of us who call ourselves Christians.
If we are to truly recapture these holy and important days and take them back from the thieves who stole them and are holding them hostage, we must first find a way to free ourselves from the bondage of commercialism, materialism, entertainment, and apostasy. At the end of the day, only free men can free men.
