Then Esau looked at the women and children and asked, “Who are these people with you?”

“These are the children God has graciously given to me, your servant,” Jacob replied. (Genesis 33:5 NLT)

In Genesis 33:5, Jacob acknowledged that God had “graciously given” his family to him. The members of our family are blessings, graciously given to us by our loving heavenly Father. And today we give God thanks for our family.

The comedian George Burns said, “Happiness is having a large, loving, caring family in another city.” But the quirks, irritations, and annoyances that drive us crazy sometimes are also what give our families their unique flavor. So let’s give thanks for them. Besides, did it ever occur to you that maybe you’re the weird one in your family? That when another family member is telling a story, you’re the crazy aunt or wacky cousin? Some food for thought to go with your turkey.

We don’t all have family to gather with, so that’s where the church comes in. If you are a believer, church is your spiritual family. Sometimes, you can be closer to a fellow Christian than you can be to a blood relative. And in a sense, aren’t Christians blood relatives? Christians are referred to as “brothers and sisters” throughout the New Testament. In Ephesians 2:19, Paul wrote, “You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family” (NLT). We’re all bought with the blood of Jesus Christ, and we’ve been brought into the family of God. So, let’s thank God for our fellow church family members.

Of course, the heartbreaking reality is that not all family dynamics lend themselves to an attitude of gratitude. Dysfunction and abuse make it difficult to see past the pain. If that’s your situation, take some time today to give thanks first for the people who make up your real family. Friends who love you. Neighbors who look out for you. Coworkers who have your back.

And second, give thanks that there’s always hope where your family is concerned. Cycles of abuse and dysfunction can be broken. I don’t believe in generational curses. I do believe that godly and godless behavior can be passed on as a legacy. If you were raised in an alcoholic home, you stand a greater chance of becoming an alcoholic. If you come from a divorced home, you stand a greater chance of getting divorced. But I was raised in an alcoholic home, and my mother was divorced seven times. I don’t drink, and I’ve been married for over forty-seven years. So God can change the narrative in your family.

No family is perfect, just as no family member is perfect. So, if you celebrate the season with your family, bring with you a spirit of grace, patience, forgiveness, and gratitude, along with the dressing and green bean casserole. Savor the little moments, the unguarded conversations, the recollections of years past and loved ones who are no longer with you. Thank God for them—and for His wondrous gift of family, whatever form it takes.

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