"Cancel" Thanksgiving?

[00:00:00] This is actually a thing now, and I have something to say about it. Tune in.

[00:00:09] Hello and welcome to MoMo634, the daily podcast chock full of faith-filled inspiration and motivation.

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[00:00:26] Over the last two weeks from Event Zero, you do the math, I've heard with alarming frequency

[00:00:49] the call to cancel Thanksgiving with certain people. I've heard about those uninvited from friends of friends,

[00:00:59] and it was the friend's sister who uninvited her own sister. And today my favorite author mentioned

[00:01:09] he's heard of this trend as well. Love, respect, tolerance. All really good words.

[00:01:21] All words I hear from all parts of the political spectrum. You know where else I hear those words?

[00:01:28] From the Bible. Little children, let us not love in word and speech, but in action and truth.

[00:01:39] 1 John 3.18

[00:01:43] In fact, Matthew 15.8 says,

[00:01:46] These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. In other words, what we say and what we do are two different things sometimes.

[00:02:00] I can't count the number of verses that talk about loving your enemy, giving your enemy food, water, and the cloak off of your back.

[00:02:11] In fact, the plot to kill Jesus was politically motivated.

[00:02:18] The very day of which we speak, Thanksgiving, brought together disparate groups to share a common meal.

[00:02:29] Historical scholars may differ on what happened afterward, but consider this.

[00:02:34] If the groups on what is termed the first Thanksgiving could put aside differences, however briefly, certainly we can too.

[00:02:45] But more importantly, you cannot cancel love.

[00:02:50] True, abiding love is called agape in the Bible.

[00:02:56] It's not eros, romantic love.

[00:02:59] It's not phileo, friendly love, or even storgos, family love.

[00:03:07] Agape love is sacrificial.

[00:03:10] Agape love seeks the best for someone.

[00:03:14] Agape love is the kind of love Christ displayed in his work on the cross, even toward those who put him there.

[00:03:23] In fact, some of his last words were a plea to the God of the universe to forgive them because they didn't realize what they were doing.

[00:03:33] If you have entertained the thought of not entertaining guests who differ from you philosophically, please reconsider.

[00:03:42] Or, if you are still dead set against it, then barricade yourself indoors,

[00:03:48] because I guarantee you that you bank with them, buy gas and groceries from them, live next to them, and so on.

[00:03:57] Though Jesus was discussing the inability to avoid interacting with sinners in 1 Corinthians 5.10,

[00:04:05] the sentiment applies with regard to avoiding people who think differently than you do,

[00:04:10] when he said you would have to leave this world to avoid them.

[00:04:16] I started this episode with the words love, respect, tolerance.

[00:04:22] Another word people throw around a lot in these political times is prejudice.

[00:04:29] Let's listen to the definition, shall we?

[00:04:32] Britannica says,

[00:04:34] An unfair feeling of dislike for a person or group because of race, sex, religion, etc.

[00:04:42] I believe politics can be included in that, etc.

[00:04:46] Lastly, I've been a victim of this type of thinking.

[00:04:52] Three of the dearest people on earth to me treated me differently based on a campaign I worked on.

[00:04:59] People I'd known for over four decades and considered them as close as my own family.

[00:05:08] It's only been within the last year that they've let me in again.

[00:05:12] Slowly.

[00:05:12] Slowly.

[00:05:14] Remember the episode, my origin story, where I told you the OCD people pleaser in me

[00:05:20] looked up the people who for three full years bullied me and I made peace with them?

[00:05:26] Yes, I persisted in rebuilding those relationships after that political campaign because I loved them.

[00:05:34] I wish I could say those were the only friends I'd lost.

[00:05:39] Rather than a meme for today, I leave you with the absolute best words on the subject from Jesus himself in Luke 6, 28.

[00:05:49] I pray for those who curse you.

[00:05:53] I pray for those who mistreat you.

[00:05:56] True love cannot be canceled.

[00:05:59] True respect cannot be canceled.

[00:06:03] True tolerance cannot be canceled.

[00:06:07] And your grown-ups were right.

[00:06:10] If your friends are treating you that way, they aren't really your friends.

[00:06:15] But love them anyway.

[00:06:18] Pray for them anyway.

[00:06:21] And you go ahead and have your Thanksgiving anyway.

[00:06:26] Because God deserves our thanks.

[00:06:31] If you'd like to share your own account of being canceled, chime in below.

[00:06:37] Thanks for listening to Momo 634.

[00:06:43] Motivational moments just for today.

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