I often wonder about the ethics of Thanksgiving. At its root it is presumably a holiday (holy-day) for the express purpose of giving thanks to God/remembering what God has done that is thanksworthy. Of course, most of us gorge ourselves, sleep, and watch football; all three at once if possible. I’m a fan of all three, though the first two more than the third. Even people that often aren’t given to gluttony–the most underplayed vice in America–are prone to indulge beyond decency on this God-focused day. Those of us who are already habitual over-eaters don’t have much hope of mastering modest consumption in light of the quantity, quality, and rarity of T-day foods. Shouldn’t Thanksgiving of all days make us (Christians) more conscious of the dynamic of God’s provision that incites us to self-control and giving rather than unbridled consumption?
On the other hand, Feast is an ethic as well, perhaps equally underplayed, though in a different way. My suspicion is, however, that we’ve no clue what God’s idea of Feast actually is. Not that we shouldn’t have got a clue by now, but ethics are not our (Christians, esp. SCMers) strong point. Bizarre, isn’t it? Well, I’m making a Thanksgiving resolution to understand Feast better. I want to party God’s way.
Luke 14:15-24
Greg & Meg 