Romans 14:17-19  For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up. (NLT)

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The Thanksgiving holiday is coming up soon. These three verses can help us make the most of that day and every other day. 

The Apostle Paul writes, “the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” The Kingdom of God, the place of his effective rule and reign, as Dallas Willard says it, is not about old rules or new rules about things we eat or drink. Instead, God’s Kingdom is about “goodness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

The longer we walk with God, the more he rubs off on us. The more of ourselves we surrender to his will and ways, the more we are shaped by his truth and values. It is impossible to walk with God and become grumpier. 

Instead, an essence of his goodness fills our hearts and minds, shaping our initiative and response. His peace reigns in our hearts and minds. What we say and do are shaped by this peace and produce more peaceful conversation and collaboration. Joy becomes our default disposition. 

This honors God and blesses others. People like spending time with other people who are good, peaceful, and joyful. It sure beats hanging out with people who want to argue about everything and challenge every opinion.

Nothing hums like harmony. Nothing sings like edification. 

An experiment comes to mind: Around your Thanksgiving table, aim for harmony and encouragement. Ask God to so fill you with his goodness, peace, and joy that they overflow from your heart like the gravy that gets tipped over and the drinks that get spilled. 

Yes, life can be messy. Messes can be hilarious. They can provide opportunities to bond as we serve one another in the cleanup. Isn’t it just like God to turn our messes into laughter? Our laughter into memories? 

May your Thanksgiving celebrations hum and sing with goodness, peace, and joy. 

May you experience the gifts of harmony and edification. 

May you make Thanksgiving memories that endure from generation to generation.

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I will aim for harmony and edification this Thanksgiving.

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Our Father, share our hearts and minds with your pure essence of goodness, peace, and joy. May our gatherings produce harmony and edification. May we love one another deeply and serve one another with gratitude. Amen.