ThanksGIVING
Posted on Nov 19, 2024 by Jon Brudvig
Recently, while reading The Broken Way: A Daring Path into The Abundant Life by the bestselling author Ann Voskamp, I was challenged to consider the claim, “Learning the art of living is learning the art of giving.”
Then it dawned on me, “Isn’t this what God does for us?” A reality proclaimed loud and clear in the familiar refrain from John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that God GAVE …”
Could there be any more important word in the English language than GIVING? asks Voskamp. Think about it. Everything that matters in life involves GIVING in some form or another — thanksgiving, forgiving, care-giving, and life-giving to name a few.
The art of GIVING is knowing, trusting, and believing that you are loved enough and that you have enough to GIVE enough in return. Because isn’t that what love does? Love GIVES.
GIVING, not getting, is also the Way of Jesus. The gospels teach us that the love of God in Christ always GIVES, always breaks itself, and GIVES freely without conditions or expectations. This divine love GIVES joy, GIVES peace, GIVES healing, GIVES liberation, and GIVES life.
There is no living without generosity, notes Voskamp, because generosity is the function of an abundance mentality, a response to the identity and intimacy we experience as beloved children of God. When you know that you are loved enough, that you are worthy enough, and that you have enough, how can you not help but GIVE generously out of your innate abundance and self-worth?
“Some people learn gratitude too late,” writes Flannery O’Connor in one of her short stories, “and some never learn it all.” May that not be the case for us. As we ponder anew and thank God for the abundant blessings in our lives this Thanksgiving holiday, may God’s generous and life-giving Spirit empower us to GIVE generously of the gifts of time, talent, and treasure entrusted to our care.
In gratitude and thanksgiving,
Pastor Jon