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The Apostle Paul instructs, “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thessalonians 5:18). As we approach a national holiday which is devoted to the act of gratefulness, we tend to be more proficient in giving God thanks for those things which we enjoy. An abundance of food, a healthy family, a comfortable savings account, and the presence of many friends are typical causes for a hearty thanksgiving. However, as we take note of Scripture’s admonition, we are to give thanks in all circumstances. We are to show gratefulness to God when the table is less than full, our body is ailing, the bills are mounting, and we are very much all alone. We are to give thanks because we take hope in the goodness of God, even when that goodness to us seems more harsh than gentle. We are to give thanks at all times, even very sad or difficult times, because we rest in the promise “that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). We are to give thanks at all times because we know that God is using all things, sometimes even very horrible things, to bring about a good that we could not have imagined.
Such a lesson can be learned even in our nation’s history which involves the celebration of Thanksgiving. The following story is explained by Charles Colson.
Most of us know the story of the first Thanksgiving; at least, we know the Pilgrim version. But how many of us know the Indian viewpoint?
No, I'm not talking about some revisionist, p.c. version of history. I'm talking about the amazing story of the way God used an Indian named Squanto as a special instrument of His providence.
Historical accounts of Squanto's life vary, but historians believe that around 1608, more than a decade before the Pilgrims landed in the New World, a group of English traders, led by a Captain Hunt, sailed to what is today Plymouth, Massachusetts. When the trusting Wampanoag Indians came out to trade, Hunt took them prisoner, transported them to Spain, and sold them into slavery.
But God had an amazing plan for one of the captured Indians, a boy named Squanto.
Squanto was bought by a well-meaning Spanish monk, who treated him well and taught him the Christian faith. Squanto eventually made his way to England and worked in the stable of a man named John Slaney. Slaney sympathized with Squanto's desire to return home, and he promised to put the Indian on the first vessel bound for America.
It wasn't until 1619, ten years after Squanto was first kidnapped, that a ship was found. Finally, after a decade of exile and heartbreak, Squanto was on his way home.
But when he arrived in Massachusetts, more heartbreak awaited him. An epidemic had wiped out Squanto's entire village.
We can only imagine what must have gone through Squanto's mind. Why had God allowed him to return home, against all odds, only to find his loved ones dead?
A year later, the answer came. A shipload of English families arrived and settled on the very land once occupied by Squanto's people. Squanto went to meet them, greeting the startled Pilgrims in English.
According to the diary of Pilgrim Governor William Bradford, Squanto "became a special instrument sent of God for [our] good . . . He showed [us] how to plant [our] corn, where to take fish and to procure other commodities . . . and was also [our] pilot to bring [us] to unknown places for [our] profit, and never left [us] till he died."
When Squanto lay dying of a fever, Bradford wrote that their Indian friend "desir[ed] the Governor to pray for him, that he might go to the Englishmen's God in heaven." Squanto bequeathed his possessions to his English friends "as remembrances of his love."
Who but God could so miraculously weave together the lives of a lonely Indian and a struggling band of Englishmen? It's hard not to make comparisons with the biblical story of Joseph, who was also sold into slavery, and whom God likewise used as a special instrument for good.
Squanto's life story is remarkable, and we ought to make sure our children and grandchildren learn about it. While you're enjoying turkey and pumpkin pie, share with your kids the Indian side of the Thanksgiving story.
Tell them about Squanto, the "special instrument sent of God" who changed the course of American history.
More than just from an interesting story from our nation’s illustrious history, let us learn from Scripture to give thanks at all times. For more than anything else, it brings glory to the only God who has saved us from our sin through the indescribable gift of His Son!
Thankful No Matter What,
Jason