Happy Giving Day
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
We have a tradition in our family of inviting over folks for Thanksgiving who don’t have a place to go, or who are new in the country, or alone in the area – far from family. Some of our guests, whom we fondly refer to as “strays,” are unforgettable. One time we invited a homeless couple over. During our homeless outreach at our church in Queens we had gotten to know this couple, and we invited them to join us for Thanksgiving dinner, gave them sweaters and socks, and had a lovely time learning their life stories and sharing ours.
A few years ago we invited some of our ESL students for dinner. Lys Ange is from Cote D’ivoire, and Akaash is from Surinam. Akaash had never celebrated Thanksgiving before and he was learning the English language. He was thrilled to be invited to share in a typical American Thanksgiving dinner, and when I responded to his knock on the door, he grinned and said “Happy Giving Day.” That has stuck with me ever since.
Yes, Thanksgiving is about giving thanks. But it’s also about giving. We give because of all that Jesus has given us — his sacrifice on the cross, his enduring love, his guidance. Volunteerism is at its height on Thanksgiving Day, as folks help assemble meals for the homeless, or volunteer in homeless shelters.
So I’m reminded that Thanksgiving is not just about thanking God, but it’s also about giving back to God. He has a unique and specific calling on each of our lives. What is He calling you to give to Him today?
How neat that you have invited strangers in to your home on this special American holiday.