Guilty of the Highest Ingratitude

Well, this title has a ring to it: guilty of the highest ingratitude. It comes from a phrase in John Owen, speaking of the gift of prayer, and then that gift’s neglect by those to whom it is given. I suspect it applies to many other things as well.

We are approaching within days the best (in my opinion) of our American holidays: Thanksgiving. There is no golden era of history where everything was done well, and no historical figure, other than Jesus, who cannot be faulted. But the preparation for winter by that fragile fellowship of pilgrims on our Atlantic coast, their celebration of provisions given by God’s goodness, and the kindnesses shown by native Americans who must have wondered about the nature and intentions of these recent arrivals to their lands - these things make up a fitting narrative suitable to be institutionalized as a national holiday: Thanksgiving. And now, as the descendants and beneficiaries of these events, whether directly or indirectly, is it possible that we could be guilty of the highest ingratitude?

A young person can go to university and get “educated” on the evils of our history and system. They can be mobilized to seek to destroy established institutions, one of which is the network of colleges and universities, one of which is where they currently study and party; and then to condemn the system which allowed their parents to have the kinds of jobs and incomes that could pay for this college experience, plus the plane ticket to fly home for .. Thanksgiving - they can attempt to cut off the very branch on which their nest is built - and it seems that they would then be guilty of the highest ingratitude.

But I only use a younger generation to illustrate what is true of many of us on many occasions, that we ourselves fail to appreciate how the providence of God has given us so many shoulders on which we stand - and we then criticize and denigrate. But when we do so, we are demeaning not only the evils of and failures of man, which are many, but also the amazing and comprehensive grace of God that has afforded us blessings of health and wealth and security and satisfaction.

Our sweetest American carole (in my opinion) contains the phrase “God shed His grace on thee.” How has He done so? With every freedom that you enjoy. With every pleasure that lifts your spirit. With every help with which you are assisted. With every encouragement. With every expression of thanksgiving.