Calvin Synod Herald, 2014 (115. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2014-11-01 / 11-12. szám
10 CALVIN SYNOD HERALD Meditations for Thanksgiving and Christmas THE BRIGHT AND SHADY SIDES OF THANKSGIVING Scripture reading: Luke 17:11-19. Text: .. always andfor everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father. ” Ephesians 5:20. Let us prepare ourselves for Thanksgiving Day by paying attention not only to the past but also what we can learn from the Bible about a grateful attitude. In most cases ideas, events, principles, and policies have a bright and a shady side. There are only few things that cannot be misused and abused. Knowing the right time, the right amount, the right intention, and right application is a great blessing. This is also true for giving thanks. THE BRIGHT SIDE OF THANKSGIVING Most Americans celebrate Thanksgiving Day at the end of November. This tradition can be traced back centuries. The typical holiday dinner, the family gathering, remembering what good has happened to us or from what we have been spared make this day special and joyful. If gratefulness and faith are joined, God’s blessings oblige us to thank Him for His love and goodness. If we widen our horizon then we find that not I or my family but the whole nation should be thankful for the peace, justice, and prosperity which millions enjoy. Also we have been enriched not only directly (personal gain and success) but indirectly through the fortune and achievements of others. When the company who employs us prospers it also means our job is safe and we can hope for a pay raise. A plentiful harvest may reduce the price of food staples. A grateful attitude is one of the noble traits of a gentleman and a lady. We teach our children when they are quite young to say “thank you” for a toy, or candy, or love expressed. Everybody should check to be sure that they have the right balance of gratitude: whom have I helped who should be grateful to me and to whom should I be thankful? THE SHADY SIDE OF THANKSGIVING There are some people who like to be generous and good-hearted just to flaunt their wealth, power, and fame. Whenever they share their kindness and help, they expect it to be acknowledged in the local paper, preferably on the front page. Also those who were lucky enough to receive something from this charitable person are expected to express their appreciation in such a way that others will hear all about it. It is possible to create an artificial need so poor people will ask for help and the assistance given will remind them of their dependence. Therefore, they remain humble and controlled. How long should a gift oblige the recipient to be grateful? Can we remind a couple when they celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary what a wonderful gift they received when they got married? Should a verbal thank you, or a telephone call, or an e-mail message, or a text be sufficient to acknowledge a gift or is a lengthy letter (written in long-hand) praising the donor’s kindness expected? Should it be specifically spelled out that this was the greatest gift ever received? Yes, children should be taught to offer thanks for every gift (please see above). However, if a child is constantly reminded that whatever he/she receives, and does well in, for everything he/she should be thankful to his/her parents. A constant reminder that the child is nothing and the parents are everything will destroy the child’s self-confidence and stifle his/her ambition to do something on his/her own. The Bible offers this advice: “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.” Colossians 3:21. See also Ephesians 6:4. An example of an old military-type of childrearing can be seen in the film “The Sound of Music.” What do I expect of God? Should God grant immediately and directly those things for which I have been praying? Or, should God wait and use indirect help through loving and caring people or by arranging events in a favorable way? Let us always be thankful at the right time, in the right way, and to the right person. For this reason Apostle Paul wrote: “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18. CHRISTMAS “ 7 am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Revelation 22:13. Scripture reading: Luke 2:1-14. Text: Jesus is speaking, "For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Every one who is of the truth hears my voice." John 18:37/c. The mystery and meaning of birth have been studied by the scholars of various branches of science such as genetics, medicine, biology, psychology, botany, zoology, and last but not least theology. Very few of us (if anyone at all) can say with certainty why we were bom. While appearing before Pontius Pilate, our Lord made it clear and specific why He was bom: "For this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world." John 18:37/c NIV. This obvious reason for why Christ was bom should help us to celebrate Christmas this year. FROM MANY ASPECTS OF BIRTH WE SHOULD CONSIDER THESE FOUR POINTS. BIRTH MEANS CONTINUATION. This statement does not need much explanation because several famous families “died out” when no children were bom. When the rate of birth is lower than the rate of death, the future is not promising. BIRTH MEANS GROWTH. Again it is obvious that every baby, bud, or cub is bom small and with time will grow. No adult or full-grown being has ever been bom “full grown”. BIRTH MEANS LIMITATION. It is well-known that a new bom will grow; however, this growth is not endless. A shrub will not become a tree. Likewise a cat will not become a lion. I
