Avoiding the 1811 Syndrome this Thanksgiving
Ah, Thanksgiving time here in the United States. A wonderful excuse to blow out your diet, take time off, and then max out your credit cards with Christmas shopping. OK, that is the cynical side of things, but I really do love thanksgiving and this year I have been doing a lot of reflecting on grateful living.
For children’s message the other day I defined saying thanks as telling others that they have made your life better. Whether it is the person who hands you a glass of cold water, or the Creator God who gave you life in the first and in the eternal place, gratitude is a wonderful gift to give back to someone. The great thing is that by naming that interdependency with another, we are also making their life and the whole universe a better place. Gratitude is one of those always good things in my mind.
As long as we stay away from the 1811 Syndrome we are fine. The 1811 Syndrome? Hear the word from Luke 18:11:
The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, “God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector….”
Ooo, how often do we start out seeking to piously give thanks for all God’s blessings in our lives and we fall into the 1811 Syndrome’s trap: turning the gift around and making it into a source of pride, vanity, and self-centeredness. A lot, I would guess.
We do this is many different areas of life. We might start out being grateful for the circumstances of our lives (country, home, work, car, income, etc) and end up feeling superior to others and then disrespecting those whose homes are not as nice as ours, or who don’t live in our great land (whatever great land we might happen to live in). I think if you think about it, you can find your own set of paths into the trap.
The reponse? Generosity. A big part of the problem with the 1811 Syndrome is the idea that our blessings are for us. In re-reading the great Christ hymn in Philippians 2:5-11, the line is verse 6 is very appropriate:”
[Jesus], through he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited (or grasped)”
The example of Jesus shows us that he did not see the great power and glory of the Godhead as reason for personal gain or self-centered exploitation. I see Jesus’ ability to avoid the 1811 Syndrome (though if anyone had reason to boast it would be the Son of God, don’t you think?) linked to his letting go of privilege and glory all in the name of compassion and generous grace.
So be thankful. But in stead of stopping there, be thankful and generous and giving and gracious and hospitable and kind and all that goes with being loving.
