Viewing Thanksgiving From Abroad

by Joel Meeker
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Topics: Holidays, Life Lessons

An American who has traveled extensively around the world shares his perspective on why Americans should truly “give thanks” on Thanksgiving.

The plight of my Laotian hill-tribe students, displaced by the Vietnam War and its aftermath, preparing to move to other countries with languages and cultures totally foreign to them, made me more thankful for the freedom, stability and prosperity I had always enjoyed—but not always noticed.

Celebrating Thanksgiving in Asia and France

One year, an American missionary couple who had lived in Asia for decades invited several of us aid workers to their home for Thanksgiving dinner, and it was much like home. The couple knew how to find all the ingredients needed for the traditional meal: turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce, even pumpkin pie—no mean feat on the banks of the Mekong River.

The husband offered a prayer of thanks before the meal, and in the course of the day the Americans present sang traditional folk songs, discussed the origins of the holiday and also shared favorite memories associated with it. There was an endearing intensity to doing all that in a Buddhist country wilting in tropical heat.

Years later, when my wife and I lived in France, we would gather each year to celebrate Thanksgiving with a group of expatriates and Europeans who had lived in the States. It was easier to find the meal’s ingredients in Europe, but we still felt homesick pondering treasured memories.

The source of America’s blessings

It’s been my privilege to see much of the world, nearly 100 countries on six continents, including some places with the best quality of life, and some with the worst. Most people around the world feel love and loyalty for their home culture, which is fine and good. But I must say that in my experience, the U.S. provides a unique mix of qualities that allow an exceptional quality of life: a blend of physical prosperity, personal and societal freedoms, openness to innovation and progress, technological advancement, and many avenues for personal growth and fulfillment. Many people around the world long to be part of it.

These blessings didn’t come because of our effort or the hard work of those who came before us—but rather because of blessings given to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph thousands of years ago. When people in other countries learn that I am American, I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been asked, sometimes half-jokingly and sometimes in dead earnest, “Please take me home with you!” One African man exclaimed, “I want to go to a country where poor people are fat!”

And, we must admit, we Americans didn’t really do anything to deserve all this. These myriad blessings were there when we were born. In fact, these blessings didn’t come because of our effort or the hard work of those who came before us—but rather because of blessings given to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph thousands of years ago.

You can learn more about the fascinating story behind the origins of our blessings in our article “How the Blessings of Abraham Came to the United States.” In fact, there are many quotes from our forefathers attributing our national blessings as gifts from a benevolent Creator.

Our challenge is to not take these blessings for granted—even though they are all most of us have ever known.

The importance of giving thanks

William Penn, one of the founding fathers who set the fledgling colonies on the road to democracy and religious freedom, once said: “The secret of happiness is to count your blessings while others are adding up their troubles.”

William Penn’s advice is still timely, and Thanksgiving is an excellent time to consider our blessings in detail. Taking the time to acknowledge the good we’ve received from God will make us happier. As the psalmist said, “It is good to give thanks to the LORD . . . For You, LORD, have made me glad through Your work” (Psalm 92:1-4).

At Thanksgiving time, it is important to truly give thanks.

Date Posted: November 24, 2021