Jesus: “It's More Blessed to Give Than Receive”

As we celebrate Thanksgiving weekend, I thought a Presidential Thanksgiving Proclamation could help us better understand the idea of thanksgiving & gratitude.

There have been an estimated 150 Presidential Proclamations that commemorate Thanksgiving Day. Two of my favorites are George Washington’s of 1789, which set aside a day for thanksgiving to God, & Abraham Lincoln’s declaration which formally established Thanksgiving as a holiday. Let’s take a closer look at Lincoln’s statement.

Aside: President Calvin Coolidge’s proclamation is one of my other favorite decrees. President Coolidge was nicknamed “Silent Cal” because he was typically very terse in any of his remarks. Here was his Proclamation: “Good bread. Good meat. Good God. Let’s eat.” (Wow, Darren–I was hoping for a leftover turkey sandwich today, not baloney – Editor.)

Lincoln’s proclamation, issued on October 3, 1863, opens with the contention that even in the midst of an “unequaled civil war” God had continued to bless our nation with abundant crops, a growing population, & peace with foreign nations.

Critics of the day & some current historians lambast Lincoln for being so tone deaf, talking about blessings at a time when the nation was literally being torn apart, when brother fought against brother, & towns mourned lengthy lists of casualties.

Aside: Lincoln has been in the news of late due to the U.S. Mint ceasing production of the Lincoln penny. Journalists missed a great opportunity for the perfect headline: “U.S. Mint Makes No Cents.”

But I would submit that Lincoln’s critics miss the point. Lincoln, of all people, knew full well the very real despair of war. He wasn’t being some Pollyanna. * A day of Thanksgiving does not mean living a life of denial. Being grateful does not minimize or ignore grief. But gratitude does keep our hearts open to God to let Him work through all things to provide us moments of peace & rest.

Lincoln deliberately gave thanks because he fully embraced the idea of 1 Thessalonians 5:18 that we are to give thanks, not for all circumstances, but in all circumstances. Abe embraced humility, recognizing that we are not self-made; every breath we take is a gift from God.

Lincoln closed his Proclamation with a prayer that God would “heal the wounds of the nation,” believing that gratitude was the 1^st step toward reconciliation & renewal. He also wanted to remind us that we are still one nation under God.

Aside: AI (Artificial Intelligence) still has its flaws. I requested the Gettysburg Address & it gave me 1195 Baltimore Pike, Gettysburg, PA 17325.

I would suggest that Lincoln’s Proclamation is still timely some 162 years later. We, too live in a divided country. We, too, may be in a season of grief & uncertainty, so maybe, we, too, are tempted to postpone gratitude until a better day comes along. But Lincoln reminds us that Thanksgiving is not a reward for peace but rather creates a pathway to peace.

Let us give thanks to God–not because we are living the perfect life, but because God is faithful in the midst of life’s imperfections. Let us also pray for healing within our homes, our relationships, & our communities.

Aside: If you would like to learn more about Lincoln’s thinking when composing the Thanksgiving Proclamation, you can consult some of his journals & diaries which are available online. Just type “Lincoln Logs” in your search engine. (Few words, like Coolidge. Just shaking head. – Editor.)

* Pollyanna is a character from a 1913 novel, Pollyanna, who became synonymous with someone who was unrealistically optimistic.