What are you grateful for?

There's a lot going on in the world right now.

I don't think this is anything new.

Even for people who remember “simpler times” or “better days,” there were moments back then that weren’t so easy and certainly weren’t better for everyone.

Things seem bigger now and harder to break away from. We are more global, more news is reported.

This news is also not always reliable or factual, and it is now easier to manipulate the truth through social media. The more we can connect with technology, the more disconnected we seem to be.

Fear, worry, a lack of trust in ourselves or the world around us – many – and real – fears are our fears.

So. Happy Thanksgiving.

I don't mean this in a sarcastic or cynical way. A holiday that reminds us to be grateful when we feel overwhelmed with reasons not to be is a great thing.

Tie that to harvest time and the beautiful changing of the seasons, add some great traditions with family and friends, add a turkey or a holiday feast to the table and we really have something.

However, there are many people who struggle to find something to be grateful for. And some who will not succeed. Your table may not be full. And those whose table is open may find that things to be grateful for come to mind more easily. If they really try.

And certainly there are some people who find it easy to be grateful because gratitude comes easy to them. Rather than being fearful and fearful, they readily accept the world as it comes and look for the good that they know lies in all life. I know these people exist because I live with one. It's a gift that not many have. It is the gift of seeing the good. Thank God they share it.

Jesus knows that so many of us are afraid.

He says more than anything else in his ministry, “Don’t be afraid.”

He says don't be afraid either. In the Gospel of Matthew, during the famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus offers a few words to those who struggle with fear and anxiety, worry and confidence.

He says, “Don’t worry about your life… Look at the birds in the sky… Look at the lilies, how they grow” (Matt. 6:25-29). If God takes care of these, you need to know that God will take care of you too. Life is about so much more than just things, he says.

These are very comforting words. Just don't think that this means you don't have to do anything and they will take care of you.

You see, the birds do what birds do, the lilies, the grass, the whole creation around us does what it does: it just lives, lives without caring about things.

All of these “don’t worry” matters come after Jesus reminds us that we cannot have two masters. Choose what you want to determine your life: God or other things (Matt. 6:24).

Wealth, wealth, money – the King James Bible calls it a wonderful word: mammon, the desire for material things.

I don't think Jesus is saying that wealth, money, or things are inherently bad. But when material things rule our lives, we value all things in that context and our life becomes an endless search for more things that we can never achieve.

We begin to see life in the context of what we don't have instead of what we do have, what we want instead of need, and what we fear losing instead of what we are willing to share.

The fear of scarcity overwhelms the joy of abundance and we strive to acquire more and protect what we have.

When we choose God, we choose love.

We value ourselves more than our things and love our neighbors as ourselves.

We choose compassion and care and share this with others. And when we all share love, we create a world where we share everything we need.

We nurture and care for each other, we encourage self-confidence, encourage and inspire creativity and, most importantly, we are not afraid to engage others in a relationship based on that love.

I know that may seem impossible in today’s world, but I bet Jesus would say, “Don’t worry. This love is already within you. That is not the case. Don’t be afraid to share the love that is within you with others.”

Be grateful for that.