"Just Be Thankful For What You Got"

 In 1974 a "disco" song sold two million copies and reached #1 on the R &B charts- William Devaughn's "Be Thankful for What You Got."  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pvtlt-p7vB4. Here are some great lines: "You may not drive a car at all...but remember brother and sister you can still stand tall...just be thankful for what you got."  
Stuff and shopping for stuff has for the most part become a distraction to the deep things of life for our culture.  It is like light pollution that keeps us from seeing the stars at night.  Admittedly, they are small blessings. But they are not designed to keep us from ever thinking and worshiping the One who gives us life so we may be able to enjoy the small blessings. 
One question for our mental health- can we lay aside covetousness enough to be thankful for what we've got?  Can we count the blessings we have?  The ability to have peace in our hearts may not rely simply on how much stuff, but the ability to be thankful in all circumstances (1 Thess. 5:17).   Christians can give thanks with their circumstances (better/worse; richer/poorer; sickness/health) because we have a God who will see us through and His will and purpose will win in the end.  We who believe, are tied to Him and His cause- and therefore we will win too.  I know when my football team wins, I say "we won" even though I did not sweat a lick or touch the field.  So we, who are tied to God by faith and trust, win if He wins.  It is not the stuff we have that enables us to stand tall- or even that we should have dignity in just being human.   We have a God who continually lifts us up out of the mire and will ultimately lift us up to Him.  


Thanksgiving in me usually elicits a song.  I think of "Come Ye Thankful People Come" or "Now Thank We All Our God."  Or (non-hymns) "Thanks A Lot" (Raffi).   Put a song in your mind and heart today.  Put a prayer of gratitude on your lips. 

Happy Thanksgiving!  

Norman Rockwell's 1943 "Freedom from Want"