The first Thanksgiving was highly unlikely. Nearly half of the 102 passengers who journeyed to America on the Mayflower had died during the first winter. Nearly every family was totally grief-stricken. Now the Pilgrims faced the harsh reality of another brutal winter. Yet for this one special day in November, the Pilgrims gave thanks for the abundant harvest God provided. Their storehouse seemed sufficient to sustain them during the coming winter.  

This Thanksgiving season, we face the harsh reality of an election year that promises to be the most brutal and vicious ever. Most of us dread it. There are a number of cynics today who see nothing special about America. Many conversations around the Thanksgiving table this year will focus on what’s wrong with our nation. But for this one special day, let’s give God thanks for what’s good and right about our country.

“Our political system is broken,” some will complain. “Politicians are so corrupt and the media so biased we don’t know what to believe.” That’s partially true. But for this one day, let’s give thanks that ours is still “a government of the people, by the people and for the people.” Our system is imperfect, but it’s still far ahead of whatever is in second place!

“America is a racist country,” some insist. “Our prosperity was built on the backs of slaves.” That’s partly true. Slavery was a terrible scar in our history. We paid an awful price for that sin. Over 600,000 died in the civil war- more than any conflict in our history. But slavery was not unique to America; it was practiced all over the world and had been for centuries. While we deeply regret that some of our forefathers owned slaves, for this one day, let’s be thankful that America helped lead the way in the emancipation of slavery, and today ours is the land of the free.

We may also hear, “America is a militaristic, warmongering nation. Our forefathers brutalized the Native Americans and aggressively intervened in foreign conflicts where we had no business getting involved.” Some of that is true also. But for this one day, let’s give thanks that our motive in foreign conflicts was not normally to expand U.S. territory but to assist those seeking freedom.  

In 2003 Secretary of State Colin Powell was visiting Europe. He was asked by George Carey, the Archbishop of Canterbury if our invasion of Iraq was another example of empire building by President Bush. General Powell answered by saying that “Over the years, the U.S. has sent many of its young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for is enough to bury those that did not return.” Powell’s comment pretty much silenced the room. That’s a record we can be very thankful for.

Someone might protest, “America is a greedy, materialistic nation. It’s a land where the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer. The middle class is shrinking, and it’s time for capitalism to be replaced with socialism.” What a ridiculous suggestion! Someone said, “If you never travel, you have a backyard mentality.” If you’ve ever visited Cuba or Venezuela, you know socialism ends in disaster. For this one day, let’s be genuinely thankful for the fact that the United States of America is the most prosperous and the most opportunistic nation in the world.

The unwillingness to be thankful for our nation reminds me of a story about a little boy who slipped off a pier and fell into cold, shark-infested waters below. The boy’s frantic mother screamed for help. “He can’t swim! He can’t swim!” she bellowed. Without hesitation, a complete stranger leaped into the frigid water, grabbed the boy, and dragged him to safety. The mother embraced her son, and moments later came over to the shivering hero who had endangered his life to save her boy. She paused a moment and then quipped, “Sir…he had a hat!” What pitiful ingratitude!

In spite of the fact that we live in the greatest nation in the history of the world, if we do little but gripe about what’s wrong, we are sorry ingrates. Our whining resembles the Israelites whom God delivered from slavery in Egypt, enabled to pass through the Red Sea on dry ground, provided manna to eat and fresh water to drink every day. Yet, they did little but gripe that they didn’t have more variety in their diet.

The Bible commands us to “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess. 5:18). This Thanksgiving, for at least one day, let’s quit griping and thank God for our exceptional country. When the discussion turns to our inept leaders, our biased media, or our political unrest, flip the switch. Change the conversation and focus for one day on what is right about the land of the free and the home of the brave.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8-9).

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