By Jim Mettenbrink
Thanksgiving Day! Recently stated was folks who live at the poverty level in the USA have more living space than the European middle class. A few years ago, the comparison revealed the standard of living for American people living at the poverty level is better than 80% of the rest of the world. We live in the lap of luxury and yet so many are dissatisfied and unhappy. Pop quiz! – “Are you humbly grateful or grumbly hateful?”
Where does luxury really begin in one’s life? 2000 years ago, Herod the Great was arguably the richest man in the Middle East. He controlled the frankincense trade originating in Arabia. Great man? Why is he called Herod the “Great?” Having assassinated Mariamne, his favorite wife and their son, he was anything but certainly not of moral virtue.” His riches fueled his passion to build cities, palaces and even the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. Thus, he was called Great! Yes, he lived in luxury. But when taking a bath at Masada, he had to wait or plan hours or days in advance. Hosts of servants toting water and firewood to the top of Masada for his Roman bath. And then ensuring it was hot water the entire time he was in the bath. Yet all we do is turn on the faucet – Voila! Hot water! Instantaneously! Now who really lives in luxury?
Having lived in the Russian Arctic where the hot water systems are shut off for the entire month of June for repairs, taking a bath means several hours of heating the water on the stove (comes out of the tap at about 35 degrees). Lesson learned – Each time I sink into the tub, I give thanks to God for the hot water, and with such ease. Thankful for that faucet and hot water heater and the natural gas.
A few years ago, in Arlington, SD on her 100th birthday, a lady was asked what was the greatest change she had seen in her life. The thermostat! Near instantaneous heat automatically. No more cutting wood or handling coal or gathering cow chips. No washing the soot off the walls and ceiling several times a year. Nor as a result of that washing, replacing the wallpaper every three years. Saved a lot of time – Luxury!
Annually worldwide over 3 million people die from contaminated water of whom 500,000 are children. Give thanks for your clean water at the faucet, no walking miles to draw it from a well. Over 600 million people in India do not have a toilet at home. That is twice the population of the USA. So, if there is a public toilet nearby (which exists only until the plumbing and toilet are stolen), the waiting line is long first thing in the morning. Rather than stand in line many women go alone to the field. Thus 25% of the rapes are attributed to this need. In contrast every US home has a toilet… er uh… many if not most have two or more. So, the plumbing is just the beginning of the luxury in which we live.
Regarding the gentiles, the apostle Paul wrote, “although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1:21). “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). He also wrote the necessities of life are the basis of being humbly grateful “And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content” (1 Timothy 6:8).
Our material prosperity, yea luxury, should prompt Thanksgiving Day to become thanksgiving daily!