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Today's Little Lift
by Jim Bullington
“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” (2 Timothy 3.1-5).
The passage just quoted contains some key words and phrases. In order to connect it legitimately with today's message, I want to highlight some of these expressions. Perilous times are dangerous times; times fraught with hazards. It is interesting that Paul actually tells believers to turn away from (avoid or shun) some people; the ones that are to be avoided are like or similar to the list of sinners that he just named. Paul did not just name sins, he named sinners. Traitors, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, boasters, lovers of money – all of these are specifically named in his indictment of the latter days. But, this message is not about living in the latter days and the end being near; it is about thanksgiving!
Nestled in the middle of Paul's list of infamous sinners is the somewhat innocuous appearing person, the person who is unthankful. I will not insult your intelligence by attempting to define the word, but I will comment on it. This word is used only one other time in the Bible; Jesus used the word in Luke's account of His Sermon in the Mount; notice how Jesus used it. “But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.” (Luke 6.35). Once again, the unthankful person is coupled with the general class of evil persons! From these two passages, it is obvious that the trait of being unthankful is not an innocuous shortcoming; it is a flagrant and damning sin!
About three months ago I returned from a trip to Tanzania, Africa. I saw men, women, and children with (according to our standards) almost nothing. I saw them in a literal daily struggle for the most basic necessities (food, clothing, and shelter). I returned home and I hear about a bad economy, recession, lay-offs, and tough economic times. I heard a man opine the fact that his 401k had declined from $200K to a mere $160K. More recently I saw highly paid executives fly to Washington in their luxury jets to attempt to get a piece of a $25 Billion dollar pie so their companies could stay afloat.
Not once have I heard in these last few days anyone in a prominent position speak words of thanks to God for the tremendous blessings that we enjoy. I cannot document this, but it is my opinion that almost anyone in our great and wealthy country is better off that 95% of the people in Tanzania. Yet, I want to tell you something else I observed in that country; I observed happiness and thankfulness! For what were they thankful? Almost everything! Their food, their clothes, their humble houses; they took almost nothing for granted.
Although it might not be politically correct today, I wish to believe that Abraham Lincoln would offer the same exhortation to our nation that he did on October 23,1863. “I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.” As a citizen, patriot, eternal optimist, and a believer I cannot help but believe that God will bless America again when America blesses God again!
Questions:
1. With what other sins is being unthankful listed? Does it really seem that despicable to you?
2. In what discourse did Jesus link being unthankful with being evil?
3. Do you think it is hurtful to God to see us living in one of the world's richest countries and constantly talking about how rough we have it? What would happen if we had to abandon our 2400 square foot homes (average US home stats for 2007) and live again in the 950 square foot homes (average US home stats for the 1950's) in which we were raised?
4. What would the media be likely to say if the President or the President-elect said the same words that have endeared Lincoln to believers and unbelievers alike over the past century and a half?
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