Jesus consistently taught against prejudice and discrimination, emphasizing love, compassion, and equality for all people. The BIble stated some of his key teachings and actions that highlighted his stance.

1. Love Your Neighbor: Jesus emphasized the importance of loving your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:31). This commandment extends beyond cultural, racial, and social boundaries, urging people to treat everyone with kindness and respect.

2. The Good Samaritan: In the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), Jesus illustrated that true neighborly love transcends ethnic and social divisions. The Samaritan, who was considered an outsider by the Jews, is portrayed as the hero who shows compassion and care.

3. Breaking Social Norms: Jesus often interacted with those who were considered unclean by society, such as lepers, tax collectors, and Samaritans. He even accepted a tax collector, Matthew, as one of his chosen disciples. For example,  He spoke with the Smaritan woman at the well (John 4:1-26), breaking cultural and gender barriers to offer her the message of eternal life.

4. Teaching on Defilement: In Mark 7:14-23, Jesus taught that what makes a person unclean comes from within, not from external factors like food or cultural practices. This teaching challenged the prejudices of His time, emphasizing that moral impurity is a matter of the heart.

5. Unity in Christ: Jesus’ mission was to create a unified humanity. As Paul later wrote, “There is neither Jew or Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). This reflects Jesus’ vision of a community where all are equal before God.

     These teachings and actions demonstrate that Jesus advocated for a society free from prejudice, where love and equality prevail. It doesn’t matter whether or not what religion you belong to, whether or not your a male or female, an adult or a child, or what the color of your skin may be. We are all children of God and he is the Father of all of us and He loves all of us unconditionally!

Jesus did emphasize the importance of gratitude and giving thanks to God. Some of his examples were:

1. Gratitude for God’s Revelation: In Luke 10:21, Jesus thanks God for revealing truths to the humble and childlike rather than the wise and learned. 

2.The Feeding of the 5,000: Before performing the miracle of feeding 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish, Jesus gave thanks to God (John 6:11). This act of gratitude highlights the importance of acknowledging God’s provision.

3. Healing of the Ten Lepers: In Luke 17:11-19, Jesus heals ten lepers, but only one returns to thank him. Jesus commends the thankful leper, emphasizing the value of gratitude.

4. The Last Supper: During the Last Supper, Jesus gave thanks before breaking the bread and sharing the wine, symbolizing his body and blood (Luke 22:19-20).  And unfortunately, it is really doubtful that they served turkey and all the trimmings at the Last Supper. This moment is central to Chrisitan practice and underscores the importance of giving thanks even in difficult times.

     These examples show that Jesus consistently modeled and taught the importance of gratitude to God for all blessings, big and small.

     The very first Thanksgiving dinner, held in 1621, was prepared by the Pilgrims with the Wampanoag tribal people, who were responsible for saving the Pilgrims from starvation and death. This feast celebrated the Pilgrims’ first successful harvest in the New World.

     As for the menu, while turkey might have been present, it wasn’t necessarily the centerpiece of the meal as it is today. The Pilgrims and Wampanoag tribe likely enjoyed a variety of foods, including venison (deer), wildfowl (which could have included turkey, but also ducks and geese), seafood (such as fish and shellfish), and a range of vegetables and fruits like corn, beans, squash, and berries..but no cranberry sauce!  

     And even though there weren’t 3 NFL football games to watch after the feast, there was probably a friendly competive competition amongst them involving hatchet throwing or possibly shooting at targets of pictures of lions, bears, rams, bengal tigers, falcons, or ravens (which are currently logos of  current NFL football teams) !

     May you and your family have a joyous and blessed Thanksgiving this year !

     Jesus had a lot to say about handling stress, worry, and anxiety. Some examples of this are as follows:

1.Trust in God: Jesus often emphasized the importance of trusting in God and not being consumed by worry. In Matthew 6:25-34, He taught that we should not worry about our lives, what we will eat or drink, or about our bodies and what we will wear. Instead, He encouraged us to seek God’s kingdom and righteousness, trusting that our needs will be provided for.

2. Come to Him for Rest: One of Jesus’ most comforting teachings on stress is found in Matthew 11:28-30. He invites those who are weary and burdened to come to Him for rest, promising that His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

3. Living in the Present: Jesus encouraged living in the present moment rather than being anxious about the future. In Matthew 6:34, He said, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

     These teachings highlight the importance of faith, prayer, and focussing on the present as ways to manage stress and find peace.

     Jesus emphasized the importance of truth and honesty in His teachings. Some examples of this are as follows:

1. Truthfulness as a Reflection of God: Jesus declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), highlighting that truth is central to His nature. Therefore, lying and deceit are contrary to His teachings and character.

2. Condemnation of Deceit: Jesus criticized hypocrisy and dishonesty, particularly among religious leaders. In Matthew 23, He condemned the Pharisees for their deceitful practices calling them “blind guides” and “hypocrites”.

3. Satan as the Father of Lies: Jesus identified Satan as the orgin of lies, saying, “He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in Him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).

4. Encouragement to Speak the Truth: Jesus taught that honesty is essential for His followers. In the Sermon on the Mount, He instructed, “Let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’, and your ‘No’, ‘No’, anything beyond this comes from the evil one” (Matthew 5:37).

5. Consequences of Dishonesty: Jesus warned that those who practice deceit will face judgement. In Revelation 21:8, it is stated that “all liars – they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

     Jesus teachings make it clear that honesty and integrity are fundamental to living a life that reflects His values. Deceit and dishonesty not only harm others, but also distance individuals from God.

     Likewise, dishonesty in politics and in our personal relationships with each other, only causes harm to others and does not solve anything. In addition, dishonesty with others also causes one to drift further away from God instead of us being drawn closer to Him.

     The Parable of the Good Samaritan found in Luke 10:25-37, teaches several profound lessons:

1. Compassion and Mercy: The Samaritan showed compassion and mercy to the injured man, unlike the priest and the Levite who passed by. This highlights the importance of helping others in need, regardless of their background or circumstances.

2. Breaking Social Barriers: At the time, Jews and Samaritans had significant animosity towards each other. By making a Samaritan the hero of the story, Jesus emphasized that love and kindness should transcend social and ethnic boundaries.

3. True Neighborliness: Jesus used this parable to answer the question, “Who is my neighbor?” He illustrated that a neighbor is anyone who shows mercy and kindness, not just those who are close to us or similar to us.

4. Active Love: The Samaritan didn’t just feel pity, he took action. He bandaged the man’s wounds, took him to an inn, and paid for his care. This teaches that true love involves action and sacrifice.

     These lessons encourage us to show compassion, break down social barriers, and actively help those in need. Have you helped anyone in need lately ?

1. “Worrying is like sitting in a rocking chair; it gives you something to do but gets you nowhere.”

2. “Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.”

3.” It’s not stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it.”

4. “Stop worrying about people that aren’t worried about you.”

5. “Stres acts an accelerator: it will push you either forward or backward, but you chose which direction.”

6. “The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continously fearing you will make one.”

7. “When you find yourself stressed, ask yourself one question: Will this matter in 5 years from now? If yes, then do something about the situation. If not, then let it go.”

8. “Stress, anxiety, and depression are caused when we are living to please others.”

9. “A good way to overcome stress is to help others out of theirs.”

10. “What is the 3-3-3- Rule about stress ?” The 333 anxiety rule involves observing three things you can see, three things you can hear, and three things you can move or touch. It is a grounding technique – a coping skill to manage intense emotions by steering the mind away away from anxiety and toward the present moment.