“Thanksgiving—Good Resulting from Bad!”
By Pastor Ron Buxton
The Bible is a book about redemption. Its most important, and obvious, story of redemption concerns the birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Moreover, within the pages of the Bible itself are also other persons who foreshadowed that great redemptive story. For example, the young man named Joseph was sold by his brothers into Egyptian slavery. And, despite the unfair hardships that Joseph endured, his life proved to ultimately save the entire Jewish people from starvation. However, today’s commentary comes from outside the Bible, and yet, concerns an unmistakable intervention from God. And it best explains why we celebrate Thanksgiving Day. It’s a story about good resulting from something very bad.
The following true story began around 1608. An English ship captain named Hunt had been sailing along the shores of New England. And, sadly, his intentions were evil. He came to abduct Native-Americans as slaves to sell back in Europe. And one such kidnapped slave was a twelve year old boy named Squanto. That’s where a strange story of redemption began. But that young man would never have concluded that at that time.
The actual details following his abduction and transport to Spain are somewhat fuzzy. And after reaching Spain, we do not know much about a group of friars, who either bought or rescued him. It would be those same men who taught him about Christianity, and sent him to England around 1612. Later, around 1618, Squanto managed to return to the New World by offering his services as an interpreter. But his hardships were far from over when he got there.
You see, his tribe had all died during his absence due to the diseases that the Europeans had brought with them. And so, Squanto lived all alone in the woods–absolutely devastated. Nobody remained to share his stories with. Nobody remained to welcome him home. Nothing, really, to be thankful for.
What happened next could best be described as a “Paul Harvey” moment! That is, the rest of the story! After Squanto had decided to live what remained of his life in lonely exile, suddenly, a small ship appeared on the horizon. It was an English ship that anchored itself just outside the craggy coast where he lived. That ship, my friends, was named the Mayflower! And it would be Squanto’s ability to communicate with them (since he himself spoke English) that literally saved those earliest pilgrims from total starvation and death.
Folks, this year as you celebrate Thanksgiving Day please remember what I just wrote above. Through one young man’s horrible life experience, the very beginnings of our nation were preserved! Redemption, you see, often comes disguised as such. Squanto, the victim of human trafficking, thought that he would die all alone in the land where he had been kidnapped from. Little did he know that the invisible Hand of Providence would use him to begin the “city on a hill” that those earliest pilgrims had prayed for! Happy Thanksgiving!
